Poultry Farmers Say The Drought In The North Is Affecting Their Business

• Poultry farmers are lamenting the effect the ongoing drought in Ghana's northern sector will have on their businesses
• According to the farmers, the shortage of grains as a result of the drought will cause the price of feed to skyrocket
• Chairperson of the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association, Gifty Rodor, has urged the government to intervene

The ongoing dry spell in Ghana’s northern sector is threatening various agricultural industries in the country.

The latest to be hit by the phenomenon are poultry farmers, who are calling on the government to lend a hand.

The poultry farmers said the drought had led to a significant shortage of grains, affecting their animal feed supply.

They also said that most farmers have only enough feed to last until the end of September 2024.

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The Chairperson of the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association of Ghana, Gifty Rodor, told JoyNews that the sharp rise in feed cost due to the looming shortage will cause some farmers to lose their birds.

She noted that farmers were already battling with the high feed cost due to the high cost of grains. With the looming shortage, she also believes cost of grains will skyrocket, which will be detrimental to farmers.

Gifty urged the government to quickly come to their aid to support the sustenance of the poultry industry.

She stated that previous droughts and price increases had contributed to the decline of the poultry industry and the rise in Ghana’s import of frozen chicken.

She also disclosed that her organisation has written to the Agricultural Ministry explaining their situation and seeking immediate support.

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Finance Minister urges Parliament to approve GH₵500M withdrawal from contingency fund over drought

Finance Minister requests GH₵500 from parliament

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, has requested that the parliament approve the disbursement of GH₵500 million from the Contingency Fund.

The GH₵500 million disbursement is part of the government’s emergency response to the ongoing drought in the country's northern half, which is threatening the country's food security.

The request follows President Akufo-Addo’s directive to the Finance Ministry to raise GH₵8 billion as a relief package for drought-hit farmers.

In a letter to parliament’s Finance Committee, the minister stated that the government cannot reallocate funds from existing budget allocations in the 2024 budget to address the unforeseen expenditures occasioned by the dry spell.

Government bans grain export

YEN.com.gh also reported that the government has banned the export of grains like rice, maize, and soy due to Ghana's dry spell.

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The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, announced this decision during a press briefing on Monday, August 27.

During the briefing, he explained that the ban was implemented to ensure the availability of crops for the domestic market.

He urged those with grain stocks to contact district directors, aggregators, and the crops directorate nationwide to arrange sales.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh