We Pack Up To 50 Sacks Daily — Plantain Packers In Agogo Reveal How Much They Earn Per Sack

Plantain packers in Asante Akyem Agogo, one of Ghana’s major plantain-producing hubs, have revealed how many sacks they fill daily and the amount they receive for each sack, offering a glimpse into the earnings and demands of their work.

According to the workers, they can pack between 40 and 50 sacks of plantain every day, earning GH¢20 for each sack they successfully fill.

“We are able to pack 40–50 sacks every day, and each sack we fill costs GH¢20,” the plantain packers disclosed.

Their account highlights the physical effort involved in preparing plantains for transportation and sale, as workers spend long hours handling the produce to meet the demands of traders and other buyers.

Asante Akyem Agogo is widely associated with plantain production, making the crop an important part of agricultural activities and livelihoods in the area. The plantain trade supports farmers, transport operators, market traders and workers who help prepare the produce for distribution.

For the packers, the number of sacks completed each day directly influences their earnings. At GH¢20 per sack, filling 40 sacks would bring in GH¢800, while completing 50 sacks would amount to GH¢1,000.

These figures represent potential daily earnings based on the workers’ stated rate and output. However, the actual amount earned by each individual may depend on how the work is organised, whether the sacks are packed individually or collectively, and how the payment is shared among workers.

The work also requires physical strength, coordination and speed, particularly when large quantities of plantain must be prepared for onward transportation.

Although the stated payment per sack may appear attractive when calculated against the number of sacks packed, the figures alone do not establish how much each worker ultimately takes home or what expenses they may incur.

The plantain value chain remains important to communities where the crop is grown, traded and transported in large quantities. Beyond the farmers who cultivate the produce, many workers depend on the activities surrounding harvesting, loading, packing and distribution for their livelihoods.

The packers’ account therefore provides insight into a part of the agricultural economy that often receives less attention than farming itself.

Their daily output also demonstrates the scale of the work required to move plantains from producing communities to markets where consumers purchase the crop.

As demand for plantain continues to support trading activities, the experiences of workers in Agogo highlight the contribution of manual labour to Ghana’s agricultural supply chain.

For these packers, every completed sack represents paid work, with their daily output determining the total value of the packing services they provide.

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