An oversupply of agricultural produce is emerging as a growing concern nationwide, with farmers struggling to sell harvested crops amid weak demand and policy delays – raising fears about the country’s future food security.
The Executive Director-Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Bismark Owusu Nortey, has warned that the worsening glut could discourage farmers from planting in the next season as many weigh the risk of adding to already unsold stock.
Speaking in an interview with Business and Financial Times (B&FT), Mr. Nortey said feedback from farmers across the country suggests the situation has not improved and, in some cases, has deteriorated.
“The feedback from farmers does not show any positive development. If anything, it has remained the same or become worse in some areas – particularly for rice farmers in northern parts of the country,” he said.
Mr. Nortey disclosed that some rice farmers in the Northern Region lost entire fields to bushfires after being unable to harvest on time due to the absence of ready markets for their produce.
The challenge, he said, is not limited to rice. Producers of maize, soya, cassava and yam – particularly in Oti Region – are also grappling with unsold harvests and falling prices.
Causes of the glut
Mr. Nortey attributed the glut largely to policy decisions taken in 2024 when government allowed significant imports of rice and maize to avert shortages during the dry season, followed by relatively strong harvests in 2025.
“The combined effect resulted in excess supply in the market, with available produce exceeding consumer demand,” he explained.
He noted that prices have dropped sharply, with traders offering as little as GH¢300 for a 100-kilogramme bag of maize – well below the price at which farmers purchased inputs in the previous season.
Some farmers, he added, have opted to store produce in anticipation of price recovery while continuing to harvest – further compounding the oversupply.
Other contributing factors include the influx of imported rice, which has become relatively cheaper due to appreciation of the cedi, as well as consumer preference for foreign rice and persistent smuggling through illegal border routes.
According to Mr. Nortey, the situation has placed severe financial strain on farmers and is eroding confidence in the agricultural sector.
Government response under scrutiny
On government interventions, Mr. Nortey said responses have been slow and ineffective… particularly with regard to the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO).
“NAFCO promised to purchase local rice and maize, but the process has been very slow. They are not attaching the urgency the situation requires,” he said.
He recalled that in early November last year, farmers were informed NAFCO would begin purchasing produce – but said there has been little clarity since then regarding procurement modalities, despite limited purchases reportedly taking place.
As a longer-term solution, Mr. Nortey backed government’s policy to procure locally produced food for public institutions including schools, hospitals and security agencies, but stressed the need for a clear roadmap to ensure effective implementation.
He also urged authorities to strengthen border controls to curb smuggling of foreign rice.
Farmers bear the brunt
Paul Boamey, a cassava, yam and rice farmer at Nkwanta North in the Oti Region, confirmed the challenges facing farmers – saying produce harvested over the past four months remains largely unsold.
“Our produce has not been purchased and the situation keeps getting worse. Gari processing companies used to buy cassava after harvesting, but they came only once. Since then, they keep saying they have enough for production,” he said.
He added that cereal crops face similar challenges, with buyers either unavailable or offering prices far below production costs.
Despite repeated complaints to relevant authorities, Mr. Boamey said farmers have yet to see meaningful intervention; noting that many are under severe financial pressure and facing harassment from creditors.
Similarly, Seth Agbemavor – a rice farmer and aggregator in Volta Region – attributed part of the problem to disruptions following the change of government, which he said led to a halt in purchases by some public and private institutions.
Aside from limited support from PFAG, Mr. Agbemavor said farmers have received little assistance from other stakeholders.
Without urgent and coordinated intervention, PFAG warns, the current glut could undermine farmer livelihoods, reduce future production and pose longer-term risks to national food security.
