Government to strengthen local poultry production, reduce foreign chicken imports – Adongo

The government is renewing efforts to strengthen Ghana’s poultry industry as part of a broader plan to reduce the country’s over $300 million annual expenditure on imported chicken, says Isaac Adongo, Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central and a board member of the Bank of Ghana.

Speaking on GHOne TV on Monday, March 3 2025, Mr Adongo described Ghana’s dependence on imported frozen chicken as a major drain on foreign exchange, arguing that the country has the capacity to meet domestic demand through local production.

“We spend over $300 million every year importing frozen chicken when that money could be invested in local farmers to create jobs and grow the economy,” he said.

According to Mr Adongo, previous efforts to revive the poultry sector have been hindered by high production costs, limited access to financing, and competition from cheaper imports.

He said the government is now working with industry players to address these challenges and promote local production.

“The high cost of poultry feed, lack of credit, and inadequate processing facilities are some of the main hurdles. We are considering practical solutions such as subsidising feed, improving access to financing, and investing in processing and storage infrastructure,” he stated.

Mr Adongo added that the renewed poultry initiative will support both large-scale commercial producers and smallholder farmers, ensuring that local production can compete with imports.

“This is not just about food security. It’s also about saving foreign exchange and creating jobs across the value chain. We need to take decisive steps to boost local production and reduce our dependence on imports,” he emphasised.

He reiterated that revitalising the poultry sector is part of the government’s broader strategy to promote agricultural self-sufficiency and strengthen the economy.