Affordable feed and support for farmers are my priorities – Eric Opoku

Eric Opoku, the Minister-Designate for Food and Agriculture, has vowed to address Ghana’s struggling poultry sector, describing it as being in a state of crisis.

He underscored the importance of revitalizing the industry, which he sees as essential for ensuring food security and boosting the nation’s economy during his vetting on Monday, January 20, 2025

“The poultry industry is facing serious challenges, and it’s clear that we have a significant gap between the demand for poultry products and the supply,” he remarked.

“Addressing this disparity will be a top priority under my leadership. Our focus will be on narrowing this gap and ensuring that consumers have access to affordable poultry products.”

The poultry industry in Ghana has long struggled with structural issues, including high production costs and stiff competition from imported products. Opoku highlighted the cost of poultry feed as a critical challenge hindering growth.

“The high cost of feed is weighing heavily on our farmers. We must prioritize the production of affordable poultry feed to ease this burden and put the sector on a path to recovery,” he explained.

In a bid to tackle these challenges, Opoku unveiled an ambitious program called the “Poultry Farm to the Table Programme,” which he described as a cornerstone of the government’s manifesto.

“Under this initiative, we aim to collaborate with poultry farmers’ associations, providing them with the necessary financial resources to expand their businesses and increase production,” he stated.

The program promises to foster collaboration between farmers, stakeholders, and government agencies to streamline the poultry supply chain and improve production efficiency.

Opoku expressed confidence in the potential of the sector to contribute significantly to the nation’s economy if given the needed support.

“We cannot afford to let this sector, which has so much potential, continue to struggle. Under my leadership, we will work tirelessly to turn things around,” he concluded, calling for collective action to address the pressing challenges faced by poultry farmers.

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