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Amos Rutherford Azinu, President of the National Seed Trade Association, has urged the government to take firm action against influential groups involved in large-scale rice imports, arguing that their dominance is hindering the growth of Ghana’s local rice industry.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, February 21, Azinu warned that without strict measures to curb rice imports, smallholder farmers would continue to face difficulties competing with foreign suppliers.
He called on Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, to implement a directive that limits the purchase of imported rice, especially for government institutions, and promotes the consumption of locally grown rice.
Azinu emphasized the need for a strong policy framework to drive demand for Ghanaian rice, particularly in schools, hospitals, and government functions.
“There should be a directive that if schools are to buy rice, it should be Ghana rice. We need policies to boost demand, or smallholder farmers will continue to struggle while imported rice is used at government events,” he stated.
He also noted that tackling rice imports would require careful planning, as local farmers must scale up production to ensure a stable supply before reducing imports.
“The Agriculture Minister has a major task ahead. The big players in the import business have financial strength. If we are to reduce imports, we must ensure smallholder farmers can meet demand,” he added.
