Ghana’s cabbage business in shambles after government's neglect

Cabbage Farmers at Apantubuom, Yapesa, Brofoyedu and Kokoben in the Bosome Freho District of the Ashanti Region have raised a petition of concern to the government of Ghana on the subject of their agricultural profession and challenges associated with it.

Frustratingly, they are on the verge of losing interest in the cabbage business following empty government promises on the deplorable nature of their road which affects the transportation of goods and the Agricultural Ministry’s failure to provide them fertilizers to boost and nourish growth each year.

The towns are known to be good producers of garden eggs, tomatoes, pepper, cocoa and plantain farm. Greater among the production is the cabbage business which they have the desire to nurture in large quantities for export yet their trials have not been cracked leaving them with heavy losses year after year.

Speaking to Elder J K Mensah, a cabbage farmer in the Yaapesa Electoral Area on their greatest fears in the business, the farmer voiced that growing the annual vegetable crop is a complicated business that always requires capital and attention. He told that every year has its relating stories based on harvest due to how farmers are equipped to embrace the numerous challenges associated with the cabbage farm.

He elaborated that farmers yearly go through depression in the hands of worms which cause serious leaf feeding damage to older plants affecting them heavily on finances. Elder JK Mensah made known that various appeals have been made to the Agric Ministry for prevention but the help has not been consistent and since they have no greater capital in putting an end to the disaster, they end up producing in bits.

“Our greatest challenge is to produce in large quantities for export but we are financially weak and have called on the government to come to our aid but the several assurances come with nothing,” he said.

"The cabbage business is full of challenges especially when the plants at the point of harvest is attacked by cabbage worms. It is the most dreadful test we go through annually.

Elder JK Mensah, Cabbage Farmer

"We have petitioned the government so many times for training and other prevention measures including fertilizers for the food. Sometimes they provide some yet things end up bizarre the following year.

"We have formed an association for government to come to our aid but nothing of that sort happens. Our capital has been drained and we are in need of help to keep the cabbage production active,” he added.

Ghana is gradually losing cabbage plant and the situation is measured by the price of the crop on the market. Despite the slide associated with the work, farmers in the Bosome Freho District have chosen to supply Ghanaians with limited quantities but the trouble of deplorable roads would not let them be.

Following the employment of many labourers to harvest for sale, how the crop can reach the market for trade is also another area of their suffering. The situation sometimes demands them to sell below their price range otherwise they will lose the produce due to its perishable nature. In due of this, traders who travel from far and near take advantage of their situation and buy at prices that disturb their interest in farming.

Deplorable Road

“Because of the poor state of our roads, when we harvest our produce, by the time buyers come and buy, we get nothing because the price they give us is bad,” Mr Adusei told.

“The cabbage business is three months and sometimes we do employ more than 48 people to harvest the plant. Because of the deplorable road, cars do not come here and after two to three days, the food gets rotten when it does not reach the market.

“The buyers from Accra and other environs take advantage of the perishing produce and they pay less price which cannot even pay all our employees.

“We have heard government working on roads but we don’t know if we are not a part of the initiative. In fact, we are hopeless as farmers and our words are pleading, government should come to our aid.”

Another female farmer expressed disappointment in the government for abandoning the needs of its citizens to suffer when their intentions are genuine for the country.

The Assemblyman, Yaapesa Electoral Area Honorable Lot Adu Asare confirmed the words of the farmers and pronounced the danger residents go through aside from the farming glitches. He pleaded to the New Patriotic Party government to be up and doing especially in farming areas where residents contribute massively to the nation’s food chain.

Isaac Owusu