High middleman costs make local chicken less competitive – Dumelo

Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture John Dumelo has raised concerns about the high retail prices of locally produced chicken, saying poultry farmers sell it for GH¢80, but consumers pay as much as GH¢200.

The price difference represents a 150 per cent increase, which he says makes locally produced chicken expensive and less competitive against imported poultry.

Speaking at a Ghana-Netherlands poultry round-table discussion on Monday, October 26, 2026, Dumelo attributed part of the price increase to the number of intermediaries involved in moving poultry from farms to consumers.

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“One thing that is of concern to me is the cost of producing poultry. If you look at the cost of production, the number of middlemen that carry it to the consumer, so yes, even though the farmer sells at affordable prices, maybe GH¢80, before it gets to the final consumer, it is around GH¢200,” he said.

The Deputy Minister said the government was taking the poultry sector seriously and recognised the need to address challenges affecting local production and the affordability of chicken.

“We are taking the poultry sector very seriously,” he stated, emphasising the need for stronger partnerships to improve production and make locally produced chicken more affordable.

His comments come as Ghana seeks to reduce its heavy dependence on imported poultry and encourage consumers to buy locally produced chicken.

As part of efforts to strengthen the sector, Dumelo signed a memorandum of understanding with Hans Akerboom, the Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, to promote cooperation in poultry production.

The agreement is expected to support local farmers through technical assistance, knowledge-sharing, and investment to improve production.

Meanwhile, the government is implementing the Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative under the Feed Ghana Programme to increase poultry production, create jobs and reduce chicken imports.

In July 2026, Feed Ghana Coordinator Bright Demordzi said the programme had distributed about 2.5 million birds.

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The government is targeting a 50 per cent reduction in poultry imports in the medium term. However, the wide gap between farm-gate and retail prices remains a challenge to making locally produced chicken more affordable for consumers.

DR/MA

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