Business News of Wednesday, 9 August 2023

Source: peacefmonline.com

Poultry import: Ghana produces only 15,000 out of 325,000 metric tons of yearly demand - Agric Minister

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Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong has promised the poultry farmers of an improved mechanism to cut down on poultry product imports into Ghana.

Speaking in an interview on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' show, the Minister revealed there are 3.5 million farmers in the country and the fraction of this number into poultry farming is underproducing.

He disclosed that Ghana consumes about 325,000 metric tons of poultry but the local farmers can only produce about 15,000 metric tons making it difficult for the local poultry business to thrive.

As a result, the Ministry has developed a five-year plan to revamping poultry farming in the country.

"I don't know how we pride ourselves as Ghanaians when we have such major challenges and we look on. In fact, you know, even though we consume 325,000 metric tons of poultry, we produce only 15,000 and this number even includes domestic poultry . . . We don't even have the farms to produce the 300,000 metric tons," he said.

He intimated that he aims to increase Ghana's capacity for poultry production from 15,000 to 25,000 metric tons.

" . . what we are trying to do between June and December is to at least get to the installed capacity . . .By end of the year, we should be able to meet our target of 25,000 metric tons. Whilst we are there, we have our installed capacity from 25,000 to 75,000...So, we have developed a five-year plan for poultry food self-sufficiency."