Accra, Ghana//-The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG) has urgently called the attention of the Government to protect local rice and maize producers from the devastating effects of rising imports and rampant smuggling of substandard grains into the local market.
“Based on our recent engagements with stakeholders and members; we estimate over 100,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice and maize from the 2024 harvest season remain unsold, while farmers across the country are being forced to sell below production cost due to an artificial glut”, Chief Executive Officer of Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana, Anthony Morrison, and Dr. Kojo Ahiakpa, Policy and Research Advisor of the Chamber said in a press release.
With the 2025 harvest season for rice approaching, the crisis could escalate further, putting farmer livelihoods, processing industries and Ghana’s food security at risk. Ghanaian farmers are being pushed out of business by unfair competition, it added.
“Smuggled rice and maize, evading duties and quality checks, are flooding our markets at artificially low prices. If the Government does not intervene swiftly, we risk collapsing entire subsectors”.
CAG’s Key Concerns
- Smuggled grain undercuts local produce by evading duties, taxes and safety checks.
- These smuggling syndicate connives with some unscrupulous immigration and customs officials. They eventually evade tax payments on these commodities.
- Rice mills and maize processors are shutting down or running below capacity.
- Ghana is becoming increasingly dependent on imports, undermining national food sovereignty.
Proposed Policy Actions
- Tighten border controls by equipping customs and security agencies to clamp down on smuggling routes. Sanction those complicit in this smuggling syndicate.
- Support local sourcing by mandating institutions like the School Feeding Programme, the Armed Forces and Prisons Service to buy a fixed quota from local producers/farmers.
- Stabilise farm incomes by extending support for millers to buy local grains at harvest and introducing minimum price guarantees.
- Invest in infrastructure by upgrading rural roads, storage, and cold chain systems while supporting millers to brand and market Ghanaian rice and maize.
- Build resilience by expanding irrigation and supporting farmer cooperatives to boost productivity and competitiveness. Investing in local rice and maize is investing in Ghana’s economic independence, jobs, and food sovereignty.
The time to act is now. The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana is calling for an urgent high-level dialogue between the Government, private sector stakeholders, and farmer associations to agree on practical steps ahead of the upcoming harvest, the Chamber said.
