A sharp decline in maize prices following Ghana’s bumper harvest in 2025 is creating serious concerns for farmers, even as consumers benefit from cheaper food.
According to agriculture value chain consultant Sidik Baba Sulemana, the significant drop in prices is putting financial pressure on smallholder farmers who rely heavily on maize sales for their livelihoods.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Sulemana explained that maize remains one of Ghana’s most important staple crops, providing about 25 to 30 per cent of the country’s caloric intake and consumed by more than 80 per cent of the population in different forms such as Kenkey, Tuo Zaafi, Banku, porridge and asaana.
He noted that the crop is cultivated across all agro-ecological zones in the country by an estimated 1.8 million smallholder farmers, who account for nearly 90 per cent of maize production.
However, the impressive yields recorded during the 2025 farming season have created a surplus on the market, leading to a dramatic fall in prices.
Mr Sulemana said market checks showed that a 100-kilogramme bag of maize, which sold between GH¢1,000 and GH¢1,200 in 2024, is currently selling for about GH¢300 to GH¢350 in Tamale and between GH¢500 and GH¢600 in Accra.
The sharp decline, he said, has left many farmers unable to recover their production costs, especially at a time when the prices of fertilisers and agrochemicals have increased by between 50 and 100 per cent.
“For maize farmers, particularly smallholders who depend on surplus sales to support household expenses such as education and healthcare, the price crash has been devastating,” he explained.
Mr Sulemana warned that in the short term many farmers could struggle to repay loans, default on debts, or leave part of their harvest unsold due to limited storage facilities and weak market demand.
He added that if the situation persists, it could discourage farmers from expanding production in the next farming season, which may also affect rural employment, particularly among youth and women involved in the maize value chain.
Despite the challenges faced by farmers, the price drop has brought relief to many urban consumers.
Mr Sulemana explained that lower maize prices could improve the purchasing power of households, particularly low-income families that spend a large share of their income on food.
With more than 60 per cent of Ghana’s population engaged in non-farm activities, he said cheaper staple foods could help ease food inflation and support consumption-driven economic growth.
However, he cautioned that prolonged low prices could pose risks to the country’s long-term food security if farmers reduce production due to poor returns.
He also warned that continued price volatility could weaken investor confidence in agriculture and limit private sector investment in storage, processing and value addition.
To address the challenge, Mr Sulemana called for both short-term and long-term interventions along the maize value chain.
Among his recommendations were increased capitalisation of the Ghana Buffer Stock Company to enable it to purchase maize at stable prices during periods of oversupply, as well as tax reductions or targeted subsidies on agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, improved seeds and agrochemicals to reduce production costs for farmers.
