The government has announced plans to prohibit commercial rice imports by the end of 2030 as part of efforts to boost local production, create jobs and reduce the country's dependence on imported rice.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson announced the policy on Thursday, November 12, 2026, while presenting the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament.
He said the proposed restriction would be supported by increased domestic production, investment in rice processing and improved storage and distribution systems to ensure that local farmers and millers can meet demand.
2027 Budget: Ato Forson announces four rice hubs to create 125,000 jobs
As part of the measures, the government will amend public procurement laws to require public institutions, including schools and hospitals, to purchase Ghanaian rice and other locally produced staple foods with public funds.
Dr Ato Forson said the policy would create a dependable market for local farmers while ensuring that government expenditure supports businesses and employment opportunities in the country.
“This will ensure that public spending feeds our children, patients, and other beneficiaries while providing a reliable market for Ghanaian farmers and creating jobs here at home,” he said.
To increase domestic production, the government plans to establish rice development hubs in the Volta Basin, Western Ghana and Northern Ghana, alongside the Afram Plains.
The hubs will bring together irrigation infrastructure, mechanisation, storage facilities, modern rice mills, packaging and logistics to support farmers and businesses involved in the rice value chain.
According to the Finance Minister, the initiative is expected to bring an additional 100,000 hectares of land under rice cultivation, with targeted yields of between five and six metric tonnes per hectare.
The project is also expected to create about 125,000 jobs.
Dr Ato Forson said investors in irrigation systems, mechanisation equipment, silos, modern mills, packaging facilities and logistics would benefit from targeted tax incentives.
“These incentives will lower investment costs, reduce post-harvest losses, and help Ghanaian rice reach consumers at competitive prices,” he said.
The government will also introduce a new arrangement from 2027 that will link rice import licences to purchases from verified Ghanaian farmers and millers.
Under the arrangement, importers will be required to buy a specified proportion of locally produced rice, with the requirement expected to increase as domestic production expands.
At the same time, rice import quotas will gradually be reduced until the planned ban takes effect.
“Commercial rice imports will be prohibited by the end of 2030. That decision will be backed by domestic production, milling, storage, quality assurance, and reliable distribution,” he said.
The policy forms part of the government's wider agricultural transformation agenda, which seeks to reduce food imports, retain more value within the Ghanaian economy and create opportunities for local farmers and businesses.
Implementation of the rice hubs, procurement reforms and import-licensing arrangements is expected to begin in 2027.
NA/MA
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