The Soya Value Chain Association of Ghana (SVCAG) has held a consultative meeting with actors in the soya value chain.
The day’s meeting, which took place in Tamale, was attended by stakeholders in the soya value chain across the northern part of the country.
The meeting formed part of the association’s efforts to structure trade within the soya value chain in the country by engaging farmers and input dealers on how the latter could sustainably supply inputs to the farmers.
It further served as a forum to educate the stakeholders on action plans for the year as well as to consult with smallholder farmers, processors and feed millers to address challenges that were raised at an earlier press conference in Tamale on low prices of soya beans.
Soyabeans farmers, aggregators and other actors in the soya value chain interacted with leadership of SVCAG and sought explanations on efforts to provide lasting solution to their challenges and concerns within the value chain.
The forum received support from GIZ Ghana, AgriBiz office.
Mr Yaw Afrifa, Executive Secretary of the SVCAG, speaking during the meeting, said in spite of the interventions of government towards the soya value chain, it was faced with untimely access to the supply of subsidised fertilizers to farmers.
He said the operations of soya value chain in the country were threatened by foreigners, who invaded the market resulting in high prices.
He noted that engaging the value chain actors was a medium to check threats against the production of quality seeds as well as the supply of farm inputs.
Mr Afrifa said SVCAG considered the best way to facilitate access to farm inputs to the soya value chain members, adding that the association negotiated for reduced prices and access to credit from suppliers.
The forum saw interactions among the association members, which led to a proposal to ensure equal opportunity for all actors in the value chain.
This further led to the constitution of a three-member committee to review and draft a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) to facilitate activities to ensure that no soyabean got sold below crop budget.
Some farmers objected to suggestions that soyabeans be credited to aggregators, which was the pivot of deliberations.
Mr Alhassan Abdulai Andrews, Chairman of the Ghana Soya Farmers and Aggregators Association, said the consultation was a step in the right direction, adding that farmers giving produce on credit was non-negotiable as it invariably affected the farmer.
Mr Isaac Papanko, a commercial soyabean farmer, said there had been bad experiences in sales on credit, stating that “If there should be credit, there should be good guarantees giving us the confidence that there would be no default.”
By Rosemary Wayo, GNA