Agric Minister urged to open up rice import market

The Chairman of the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana, John Awuni, has called on the government to allow all industry players to import rice duty-free, rather than limiting it to a select few. This comes as the Ministry of Agriculture announced plans to allow only a few industry players to import 150,000 metric tonnes of rice due to severe drought in the northern regions affecting maize and rice production.

Awuni praised the initiative but criticized the selective approach, saying it’s discriminatory and could harm the economy. “I commend the Minister of Agric for taking the step to remove duties and to ensure that this rice is imported into the country, but I will say that selecting a few players in the industry to import this product is quite discriminatory and unacceptable” he said.

He argued that every player in the industry contributes to employment and economic activity, and excluding some could lead to corruption and dissatisfaction.

Instead, Awuni suggested the government allocate import quotas fairly to all participants, ensuring a fair and transparent process. He cited former President Kuffour’s 2007 policy, which lifted import duties for all players during a similar crisis, resulting in immediate price reductions and benefits for consumers.

Awuni urged the government to adopt a two-part strategy: remove duties on goods already in bonded warehouses to lower prices in the local market, and allow all industry players to participate in future rice imports to prevent shortages.

He emphasized the importance of inclusivity, saying the minister’s initiative is positive but should be executed in a way that benefits all players and, most importantly, the Ghanaian consumer. Discriminating by only involving a select few will be counterproductive and could fail to deliver the desired outcomes.

By Shadrack Addeifie Asirifi || 3Business

The post Agric Minister urged to open up rice import market first appeared on 3News.

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