Eric Opoku, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, revealed that Ghana allocates around $350 million each year for importing poultry products, highlighting the significant economic burden this creates. He emphasized that these funds could be better invested to generate employment for Ghanaian youth.
During a recent discussion on the future of Ghana’s poultry industry, particularly beyond the Nkoko Nkitinkiti project, Mr. Opoku expressed the government’s commitment to reversing this trend by enhancing domestic poultry production and promoting the consumption of locally sourced chicken.
He pointed out that the substantial expenditure on imported poultry is resulting in job creation in foreign countries, while neglecting opportunities for Ghanaian farmers and young people. “As it stands, we spend $350 million annually on poultry imports into Ghana. This staggering amount is creating jobs abroad at the expense of our nation’s youth,” he stated in an interview with JoyNews.
The Minister outlined that the Nkoko Nkitinkiti program is part of a larger government initiative aimed at developing the poultry sector through increased production, value addition, and job creation. He further explained that while the first phase of the program focused on helping households enter poultry farming, the next phase will concentrate on supporting medium-scale poultry farmers to scale up their operations.
“Some farmers manage between 500 to 3,000 birds. They require additional capacity to grow, and it is the government’s responsibility to provide the necessary support as we strive for increased production,” he elaborated. Mr. Opoku underscored the importance of boosting local poultry production and encouraging the consumption of Ghanaian poultry products as vital steps toward reducing dependence on imports and establishing a robust and sustainable poultry industry.
