The association says the waivers that ended in 2023 resulted in increased food prices and other agricultural products. In 2022, if you are bringing any agriculture item, equipment or commodities such as seeds, fertiliser, harvesters and tractors, it was with no import duty. However, in 2023 the government took away those waivers, which led to an increase in the import of these items and equipment, with an adverse increment on their sale in the country.
This had a snowball effect which increased the cost of production for the farmer and made it difficult for the farmer to sell at a cheaper cost, Dr Charles Nyaba, president of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) told the Graphic Business in an interview in Accra. He said most farmers are not able to acquire these machinery and items and this has decreased the volume of production, affecting the buffer stock and increasing the prices of food in the market.
