Today in History: Ghana to stop importing rice by 2023

The then Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of tree Crops, George Boahen Oduroon, on August 23, 2019, noted that Ghana will stop importing rice by 2023.

According to him, Ghana, an Agrarian country cannot continue importing rice to feed Ghanaians.

He said, "government is assiduously working to increase the yields of rice for commercialisation and insofar exportation purposes."

Read the full story originally published on August 23, 2019 by agrictoday.com.

The government has assured that Ghana by 2023 would stop importing rice from other countries, the deputy minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of tree Crops, George Boahen Oduro alluded.

According to him, Ghana cannot be described as Agrarian country whilst she continues to import everything from other countries to feed her people. ‘How can you tell me Ghana is agrarian country and we continue to import nine hundred thousand metric tons of rice annually at the tune of five hundred to seven hundred million dollars ($500 – 700m) per annum’, he quizzed.

The government is assiduously working to increase the yields of rice for commercialisation and insofar exportation purposes. As part of its bid to achieve a bumper harvest, one thousand seven hundred (1,700) and seven thousand (7,000) tonnes of rice seeds were made available last and this year respectively.

Suffice it to say, there has been a drastic reduction in the price of rice seed’s; one kilogram of rice that was sold at thirty-five (Gh35.00) is now sold at a subsidised price two cedis (his 2.00). Having to reduce the price has enabled farmers to afford the seeds and thus, there has been an improvement which has escalated the engagement of rice farmers in the distribution.

The fertilizers also have been subsidized for the farmers making it affordable for the farmers to patronize.

Hon. Oduro articulated to those in Agribusiness to be precise in the rice sector to get ready to produce more rice hence to feed the country.

At the verge of closing his speech he urged all Ghanaians to develop a strong taste for the local manufacturing products especially rice in order to make the agenda achievable.