The President of the National Seed Trade Association, Amos Rutherford Azinu, has called on the government to take decisive action against powerful entities involved in the large-scale importation of rice, which he believes is stifling the growth of Ghana’s local rice industry.
Azinu, speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, February 21, said that without concrete measures to reduce rice imports, smallholder farmers across the country will continue to struggle to compete against foreign suppliers.
He urged the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, to issue a directive that restricts the purchase of imported rice, especially for government institutions, and promotes the consumption of Ghana-grown rice instead.
Azinu stressed the need for a strong policy framework to drive the demand for locally produced rice, particularly in public institutions such as schools, hospitals, and government functions.
“There should be a directive that if schools are to buy rice, then it should be Ghana rice. There needs to be a policy to drive demand because if people are still importing rice and using in government functions, then the smallholder farmer will suffer
“I think the minister [for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku] will have a huge task in this matter because the cabal in this industry is not just about talking about it. The guys who are importing have the financial muscle.
“When you are going to do that, then you have to look at the supply chain, these smallholder farmers, will they be able to increase their supply so we can keep reducing our imports?”
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