STAKEHOLDERS PUSH FOR ROBUST POLICY DIRECTIVES TO REDUCE THE IMPORTATION OF RICE INTO THE COUNTRY
The former President of the association of Ghana industries James Asare Adjei is calling for robust policy directives towards local rice production.
His call comes a few days after finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta expressed governments commitment to reverse Ghana’s excessive importation of rice.
Ghana has imported rice worth over 1 billion dollars since 2017 a development government hopes to end by 2023 through strategic partnerships in the Agric sector.
From 2017-2020 an estimated total of ₵6.874 billion was spent on the importation of rice. In addition, the country also imported the following food products from 2017 to 2020: They include Fish – ₵3. Chicken (processed) GHc1.881 billion, Meat – ₵487 million, Vegetables ₵281 and Poultry ₵184 million.
The former Trade Minister, Allan Kyeremanten made the disclosure when he appeared before Parliament to respond to a question by Murtala Muhammed Ibrahim, Tamale Central MP how much the state spent on the importation of rice and other foodstuffs into the country in the past four years.
Mr Kyeremanten also acknowledge from the figures provided that the country was spending close to $1 billion on the importation of food item.
Speaking on the issue, James Asare Adjei, called for more investment and ready market for players within the the rice value chain to boost the Agric industry.
AUTHOR-Matilda Timmy Youpele
