Cheap imports, high feed costs threaten Ghana’s poultry sector – Industry CEO warns

Ghana’s poultry industry, despite its strategic importance to food security and job creation, is facing mounting pressure from cheap poultry imports and rising feed costs, the Chief Executive Officer of Boris B’s Farms and Veterinary Supplies Ghana Ltd, Boris Baidoo, has warned.

Speaking on the state of the sector, Baidoo said the challenges confronting local poultry producers are not rooted in a lack of expertise or commitment but in weak and inconsistent policy support that continues to favour imports over domestic production.

According to him, the steady influx of cheap frozen poultry into the Ghanaian market has severely undermined local producers, eroding confidence and discouraging investment across the value chain.

“Local farmers are not afraid of competition; they are afraid of unfair competition,” he said, noting that without effective import controls, affordable feed systems and access to reasonably priced credit, domestic producers remain at a serious disadvantage.

Baidoo stressed that high feed costs pose the single greatest threat to the survival of the industry, explaining that feed accounts for nearly 70 per cent of total production costs.

“Once maize and soy prices rise, everything collapses,” he cautioned. “Until we stabilise our input supply system and support local feed production, the poultry sector will remain exposed to global commodity price shocks.”

He added that the combined effect of expensive feed and cheap imports has stalled expansion plans for many farmers, with some cutting back production or exiting the industry altogether.

To reverse this trend, Mr Baidoo called for stronger collaboration between government, private investors and research institutions to develop affordable, locally sourced feed alternatives.

He urged policymakers to support research into non-traditional feed inputs and agro-industrial by-products that could significantly reduce production costs.

“We need to think beyond traditional feed ingredients. Ghana has locally available protein sources that can lower costs if properly developed,” he said.

Looking to the future, Baidoo argued that innovation, not short-term subsidies, holds the key to the sector’s survival. He highlighted the need for investment in modern hatchery technology, efficient feeding systems, improved veterinary services and structured farmer training.

He also advocated a unified national poultry policy built on data-driven decision-making and coordinated action among government, academia and the private sector.

“We must move from talk to action and implement a clear roadmap that protects local producers, ensures food security and keeps the industry alive,” he urged.

Despite the difficulties, Baidoo expressed confidence in the resilience of Ghanaian poultry farmers, insisting that with the right policy direction, innovation and sustained investment, the sector can recover and thrive.

“The poultry industry is not just about chicken,” he said. “It is about livelihoods, nutrition and national development.”

His warning underscores the urgency for decisive intervention, as cheap imports and soaring feed costs continue to threaten the future of Ghana’s poultry industry.