Dormaa poultry farmers clarify issue over maize importation

Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), Nov. 20, GNA - The Dormaa Poultry Farmers Association (DPFA) has debunked speculation among maize producers in the district that the government facilitated the importation of maize last year to cause a glut of the commodity and kick maize farmers out of business.

Mr Kwabena Asamoah Asare, Chairperson of the DPFA, reacting to a question at a seminar for poultry farmers at Dormaa-Ahenkro, said the importation was the brainchild of the Association in a last resort to salvage the poultry industry from collapse due to the acute maize shortage at that time.


The one-day seminar was organised by Agrovet, a private agro-chemical company to introduce some of its new products to poultry farmers in the district.


Mr Asare explained that the Association, in consultation with the Dormaa district directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, organised a press conference at Dormaa-Ahenkro at which it called on the government to allow individual business people to import the commodity. He said soon after the press conference, a Lebanese rice dealer, whose sister spotted the news on the Internet called and advised his brother to export maize to Ghana.

"This was how Aqua Farms Ghana Limited saved the poultry industry in the district from collapse", Mr Asare added.


He blamed the speculation on lack of information on the part of maize farmers and expressed the hope that members of the DPFA and radio stations in the district would assist to set the records straight. He expressed the Association's sympathy with maize farmers in the district who were finding it difficult to market their maize due to the glut and the abysmally low price offered by buyers.