Krachi East’s yam growers are reeling from the worst price collapse in memory, pushing many toward financial ruin.
Farmgate rates have plunged to GH¢400 for a hundred tubers, down from over GH¢6,000 in recent seasons. For farmers like Osman Tamimu and Sumaila Seidu, this 90% income drop means production costs—seeds, fertilizer, labor—can’t be recovered.
“We’re working hard but earning next to nothing,” Tamimu said, his voice strained. “If this continues, farming stops for many of us.”
What explains this collapse? Experts point to weak market connections, a supply glut at harvest, and costly transport. With few storage options, farmers rush to sell before yams spoil, accepting devastating losses. The crisis now threatens food security and jobs in a region where yam farming anchors the local economy.
Growers plead for urgent government action: better market infrastructure, price safeguards against wild swings, and modern storage to extend yams’ shelf life. Without intervention, Ghana’s status as a top global yam exporter could fade as farmers abandon their fields.
