Rice farmers in Asutsuare, Kadjanya and Akuse in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region are grappling with severe economic hardship as tonnes of harvested rice remain unsold, leading to significant post-harvest losses and growing frustration within the farming communities.
The situation has become dire, with reports indicating that one farmer, identified as Zola, allegedly took his own life last week after struggling to repay a bank loan tied to his farming activities.
The crisis was revealed during a visit by a correspondent who assessed conditions at the Asutsuare rice irrigation scheme—one of the largest rice production hubs, covering over 4,000 hectares and supporting both commercial and smallholder farmers.
Despite efforts to boost local production through mechanisation and irrigation, farmers say the lack of a ready market continues to undermine their investments, with warehouses now full and excess produce left exposed in the open.
Farmers blame the situation partly on the continued influx of imported rice, which they say is crowding out locally produced rice and depressing demand.
The President of the Osudoku Rice Farmers Association, Philip Akpoka Anumah, criticised government policies, arguing that inadequate support and pricing structures are worsening the plight of farmers. He noted that the GH¢350 per bag offered by buffer stock authorities falls far below production costs.
The farmers also expressed disappointment in recent assurances by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, and Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, who reportedly visited the area and promised intervention through buffer stock purchases—pledges that have yet to materialise.
Several farmers, including processors, say the situation is affecting their ability to prepare for the next farming season, as unsold stock continues to pile up while banks demand repayment of loans.
Others raised concerns about stalled rehabilitation works on parts of the irrigation scheme, which has left over a thousand farmers inactive for more than a year.
The farmers are now appealing for urgent government intervention, including market support, price adjustments, and completion of ongoing infrastructure projects, warning that continued neglect could collapse local rice production and worsen rural economic conditions.