Ghana to cut rice imports by 50% in 2019—Agric. Min.

The Ministry of Agriculture has said plans are in place to reduce the importation of rice by at least 50 per cent this year.

This is to enhance the growth and consumption of local rice in Ghana.

Currently, Ghana imports 331 million dollars of rice annually, a development stakeholders have described as worrying.

Speaking to Citi Business News, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, George Oduro said measures such as the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ as well as the newly-introduced irrigation land facility system should help reduce the importation of rice by half.

“This year alone, our target to stop the importation of rice by 50 percent, maybe we can achieve that or more”, he said.

He also added that the importation of tomatoes is equally being looked at to reduce it soon.

“Then tomatoes, too, we are trying by the end of this year to stop the importation of tomatoes and if possible export”.

He, however called for a collaborative effort to achieve this feat.

“We are putting measures to stop these importation of these food items because the possibility of us producing them here is there, we can. But only if we come together to show the interest. That is the only way we can solve this problem”, he added.

Source: Citi Business