In a bid to satisfy the needs of farmers and consumers, the Ministry of Agriculture on Sunday organised farmers’ markets at Leonora, Region Three and Albion, Region Six.
Some market vendors hiked the prices for agricultural produce, causing public outcry. In response to those price hikes, several farmers’ markets are being organised across the country and form part of several activities being held for Agriculture Month to ensure consumers get fair prices on produce.
At the Leonora Track in Region Three, where one of two farmers’ markets was organised on Sunday, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the events are to assist with maintaining controlled prices for products.
This assistance comes days after the minister acknowledged that ‘middlemen’ are increasing the retail prices to consumers. So the aim is to have consumers buy from the farmers directly.
“These markets tend to bring the price to a level where the consumers can afford it and they don’t have any big inflation in the prices.
“I am hoping that we can be able to control the prices so that people, especially the middlemen would not increase their prices and the consumers cannot afford it,” Minister Mustapha said.
Importantly, he said the ministry will have trucks going to different parts of the country selling eggs, an item that has faced massive increase without cause. Meat will also be sold on these trucks.
The minister also tasked the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) with organising more farmers’ markets
To maintain the farmers’ market initiative, he said the ministry will try to incorporate weekly market events until the end of the year so that ‘middlemen’ would not exploit consumers.
“I want our agencies within the ministry to bring in the farmers, when they come here they are getting better price for their produce and the consumers receiving a better price.
“Next week I am hoping that Region Two and Region Four, Lusignan will have another Farmers’ Market and then we will go to Region Five and Region Ten and we will go the rounds again, so every week from now until the year is out we can we’ll have these farmers’ markets hoping that we can get the price back to a level,” the minister said.
The minister’s main objective is to get the prices reduced or to find a price that both farmers and consumers can agree on.
Minister Mustapha said the two markets held on Sunday were successful in achieving this plan and he is hopeful that through consistency the goal will be met.
