The Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers(GNAPF), George Dassah, has called for a comprehensive Legislative Framework to govern the poultry sector in the country.
He emphasised that the lack of consistent policies across different governments has severely hindered the industry's growth.
The poultry sector in Ghana faces numerous challenges, including high production costs, intense competition from imported poultry products, and inefficient feed management practices. A legislative framework would help address these issues, promote sustainable growth, and ensure the industry remains competitive.
Speaking in an interview with AGTV, Mr. Dassah stressed that while various governments introduced innovative ideas for the poultry sector, the absence of legislation to back these policies makes them short-lived.
He noted that if policies were developed into a comprehensive law, it would create a stable operational environment for the sector, regardless of the government in power.
President John Dramani Mahama’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), recently outlined ambitious plans to revamp the poultry sector by investing in hatcheries, feed mills, processing, and distribution all aimed at eliminating poultry imports.
The proposed Poultry Farm-to-Table Project is expected to cover 55,000 households and reduce the country's annual poultry import bill of over $300 million.
Mr. Dassah commended the president’s vision, stating that if fully implemented, the ideas would create jobs, strengthen the local currency, and boost the entire agricultural value chain.
However, he highlighted the high cost of poultry feed which constitutes 55-70 per cent of production costs as a major challenge for local farmers urging the government to address the rising prices of maize and soya, which would make locally produced chicken more affordable for the average Ghanaian.
He further advocated for a quota system that would reserve a percentage of the market for local producers, enabling them to scale up capacity and compete effectively with imported chicken.
“We have the capacity in this country to produce, but we need an enabling environment to support local farmers. If all these ideas are implemented, Ghana’s poultry sector will thrive, creating more jobs and strengthening the economy,” Mr. Dassah said.
He concluded that with the government's renewed commitment and the cooperation of industry players, the future of Ghana’s poultry sector looks promising but sustainable growth hinges on the introduction of a legislative framework to guide the sector's development for the long term.
