Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed that the government is working towards making Ghana a net exporter of rice by 2024.

He stated that there are plans in the offing to reduce and eliminate the country’s dependence on rice importation which it has over time done significantly with various interventions

“We want before 2024 that this country would be a net exporter of rice. We want to reduce and eliminate our dependence on rice importation which we have done quite significantly”, he revealed in an interview with Bolgatanga-based A1 radio monitored by MyNewsGh.com.

According to him, the government’s planting for food and jobs policy has resulted in abundant food including rice citing a bumper harvest of rice in the Builsa South District.

“Planting for food and jobs has brought in a lot of food. The new maize has come to meet the old maize. Food has been in abundance whether it is maize or rice and in this country rather importing, is exporting a lot of foodstuffs”

He added “look at Builsa South and you will see the increase in rice production under the Planting for Food and Jobs. Massive increase, we have had almost 2,000 hectors under cultivation of rice and you have has two rice processing mills, you have major projects”

Meanwhile, farmers believe that with the increased interest in rice farming in the region, the rice mills will increase production, especially those in the Fumbisi Valley.