Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) Promote informed journalism and public engagement on agricultural and environmental nalists Network (LAEJN)
By George C. Kollie
Farmers in Upper Careysburg and Todee Statutory District in Rural Montserrado County have expressed concern over the continued high cost of agricultural materials, despite recent government measures to reduce tariffs on imported farming inputs.
The farmers say that while the tariff reductions and duty-free arrangements were intended to ease financial pressure and improve access to farming materials, the expected price reductions have not been realized at the local level. They attribute the situation to a lack of effective price control and monitoring of importers.
Speaking in an interview, Jackson Telmeh, Lead Farmer of the Jackson Farm Sustainable Agriculture Cooperative in Upper Careysburg, said the absence of price regulation has left essential agricultural inputs beyond the reach of many smallholder farmers.
“Without proper oversight, the cost of farming materials remains too high, and this continues to affect the financial stability of farmers who are already struggling,” Telmeh said.
He noted that President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s vision to strengthen Liberia’s agricultural sector can only be achieved if relevant ministries consistently monitor importers to ensure that tariff reductions are reflected in market prices.
Telmeh called on the government to introduce stricter price controls and enhance supervision of suppliers so that farmers can benefit from reduced costs and increase production.
At the same time, he praised the President for ongoing support to the agricultural sector, citing government-backed initiatives such as the Economic Revitalization Project for Agriculture (ERPO), which he said provided funding to farmers to expand cultivated hectares, supported women’s empowerment, and facilitated the distribution of improved cassava varieties.
Despite these interventions, Telmeh pointed to the lack of stable markets for farm produce and inadequate warehouse facilities for storing perishable goods as major challenges facing farmers in the area.
Farmers also raised concerns over the high prices of key agricultural inputs, including fertilizers, insecticides, water pump machines, irrigation systems, polytanks, and spraying cans.
Telmeh concluded by recommending that the central government establish a task force to regularly monitor importers of agricultural materials to ensure compliance with pricing policies and protect the interests of local farmers.
