More than 1.2 million metric tonnes of rice, maize and soya beans have remained trapped in warehouses and farms across Ghana, raising fresh concerns over market instability and the future of the country’s agricultural sector.
The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG) confirmed that the surplus grains are unsold due to market distortions, poor pricing, and competition with cheaper imported alternatives.
In a statement, the chamber warned that the crisis could destabilise the agricultural value chain, threaten farmer livelihoods, and cripple local grain processing if swift intervention is not implemented.
To ease the pressure, the chamber has called for an immediate three-month moratorium on rice imports to allow local stocks to clear.
Although Ghana relies on imports to supplement domestic rice consumption, CAG stressed that locally produced rice remains unsold in large volumes, partly due to lower-priced foreign rice entering the market.
The chamber also raised concerns over substandard rice imports reportedly entering through unapproved routes, which it said have worsened the challenges faced by local farmers and millers.
“We urgently call for an immediate three-month ban on rice importation to clear existing local stockpiles and provide relief to farmers and millers,” the statement read.
The industry body further demanded the repeal of the export and import (restriction on exportation of soya beans) regulations, 2020 (l.i. 2432), arguing that the policy has depressed farm-gate prices, deterred production, and contributed to excess warehouse stocks.
To strengthen market oversight, CAG urged the government to establish a coordinated audit and monitoring system involving the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, the Food and Drugs Authority, and national security agencies. The purpose, it explained, would be to enforce tax compliance and eliminate smuggled rice from the domestic supply chain.
Beyond short-term relief, the organisation proposed the creation of a strategic grain reserve procurement programme to allow the national food buffer stock company to purchase surplus grains directly from farmers.
According to CAG, this would stabilise commodity pricing and secure grain supply for the poultry, livestock and food processing sectors.
“We must safeguard the investments of our local farmers and agribusinesses to build a food-secure and economically resilient Ghana,” the chamber added.
Source: AccessAgric
