The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG) has urged the government to implement a quota system for rice importation as part of measures to resolve ongoing challenges in the country’s grain sector.
Anthony Kofiuto Morrison, Chief Executive Officer of CAG, said the quota is a critical intervention that would help stabilise the market and support local farmers.
“We have proposed clear interventions and we are saying that government should develop a quota system for us to be able to resolve the rice issue in the next five years. We need a quota for rice importation,” he explained on the Channel One Newsroom on Tuesday November 4.
The call comes amid what the Chamber describes as a national agricultural emergency. According to CAG, Ghana’s grain sector is facing an escalating crisis, with over 1.2 million metric tonnes of rice, maize, and soya beans remaining unsold across farming communities.
The glut is attributed to poor market coordination, restrictive policies, and rising imports that have undermined local production.
CAG has proposed a range of interventions, including a three-month moratorium on rice imports, repeal of restrictive soya bean export and import regulations, and the establishment of a Strategic Grain Reserve Procurement Programme to purchase surplus produce directly from farmers.
The Chamber also recommends medium-term strategies such as a five-year Ghana Rice Production Strategy, expanded irrigation infrastructure, and increased private-sector participation in agro-processing to boost productivity and secure rural livelihoods.
Morrison emphasized the urgency of government action, noting that a quota system would provide long-term stability for rice farmers and ensure that local production can meet national consumption needs without being undermined by uncontrolled imports.
Source: citinewsroom.com
