Basket weavers at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region are calling on government to support their activities to boost production.
The weavers say the high cost of production is taking a toll on them as they’re unable to produce more to meet demand.
The activity is a major source of livelihood, as nearly 3.5 million dollars’ worth of baskets was exported between 2012 and 2016.
The weavers also want government to deliberately promote the use of these baskets which are more environmentally friendly than polythene and plastic bags.
Basket weaving as an art and a vocation has been with the people of the Upper East Region particularly women; the reason they have become known as the Bolgatanga Baskets.
Basket weaving among women in rural communities of the region is common, as it serves as a major source of income for households.
The main raw material, the Veta vera straw, is harvested from grass stalk, and each piece split into two. It is then twisted tightly and rolled back together to give it strength and then dyed in boiling water for use.
Weaving starts at the base, and works up to the rim and wrapped to form a tube-like edge and finally, leather handles skillfully applied by local leather workers for the final consumer.
The Bolga baskets are undoubtedly booming in and out of Ghana, but weaving them is not without challenges.
“The cost of raw materials to weave our baskets is high, and so we are unable to buy more materials to produce in large quantities to meet the demand. So, we only buy what we can afford and produce few baskets for sale and this is affecting us, we wish government could intervene to support us produce more baskets.”
“The cost of production is very high. You need to purchase the straws, get people to roll it together, buy dye and other items to weave the baskets. So, without money you can’t do this work. Again even when you have weaved; getting a market for the products becomes a big challenge to us.”
Some basket traders advanced arguments as to why it is better for Ghanaians to use these baskets over polythene bags in their daily shopping.
“When you send this basket to the market as compared to the polythene bag, this basket can be used for a number of times. With polythene bag you dump yourself wherever you find yourself after usage, and these polythene bags take a long time to decay”.
In 2017, Ghana exported roughly $800,000 worth of baskets. The Bolga basket exports to key markets as such Australia, US, UK and New Zealand.
Though the sector is potentially increasing its sales, basket exporters in the region say high domestic and export taxes is negatively affecting the basket trade, and requires government’s intervention.
“There’s a problem with the taxes we pay especially for us the exporters. If you for instance move a cargo from Bolga to even Tamale with your goods, you pay a lot of money. The police sometimes even offer the baskets escort and you end up paying so much. From here to Accra you can spend about 2,000 cedis only tax” Isaac Ayine, a basket weaver and exporter told Citi Business News.
