Ghana risks deepening its dependence on imported rice unless government adopts bold measures to enforce import quotas that will compel large-scale traders to source part of their supplies locally, a senior researcher has warned.
Professor Maxwell Darko Asante, Director of the Crop Research Institute (CRI), said the policy would provide a sustainable pathway to self-sufficiency by creating guaranteed markets for smallholder farmers, while also encouraging multinational firms to invest in domestic farming, milling, and storage.
“For me, that is the most sustainable way of doing it,” Prof. Asante said. “Before importers are granted foreign exchange to bring in rice, they must prove that a quota of what they sell has been sourced locally.”
He suggested a phased quota system starting at 30 percent local sourcing, rising gradually to 90 percent within the next decade.
According to him, this approach would reduce Ghana’s import bill while stimulating private sector investment in modern milling facilities and addressing post-harvest losses.
Despite Ghana producing high-quality varieties such as Jasmine 85, Agyapa, Amankwatia and Agra, the country still relies heavily on imports from Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and the Philippines.
Local production currently meets only 40–50 percent of national demand, leaving a deficit of over 700,000 metric tonnes annually.
Prof. Asante dismissed claims that Ghana lacks the right rice varieties. Instead, he argued that weak post-harvest handling, inadequate storage, and outdated milling equipment undermine competitiveness.
“Anybody who tells you we don’t have the varieties is mistaken. The challenge comes from how the rice is treated post-harvest and the machines used to mill it,” he explained.
While countries such as Vietnam and India have established robust value chains that enable rice to be stored for extended periods, Ghana’s inadequate storage and weak market linkages compel farmers to sell their produce quickly at low prices. This leaves many producers in rice-growing hubs such as the Fumbisi Valley struggling with gluts and unable to reinvest in the next season.
With Ghana consuming an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of milled rice annually, the reliance on imports raises concerns about food security.
Prof. Asante said without firm enforcement of quotas and sustained investment in processing and storage infrastructure, local farmers will continue to be squeezed out of the market.
“Government things are not sustainable. Maybe due to political interference and lobbying pressures, we keep going back and forth,” he noted. “But if quotas are properly implemented and enforced, the private sector will respond by investing.”
Analysts agree that without bold reforms, Ghana could continue to miss the opportunity to achieve rice self-sufficiency despite having suitable varieties and favourable growing conditions.
