The import of livestock such as pork, poultry, and cattle has increased with about 740 million cedis as of 2018.

The livestock sector in Ghana contributes around 7.528 million cedis to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product. Ghana is currently consuming about 14kg per capita per annum which is inadequate. This is according to An Animal Scientist, Doris Yaa Osei speaking on the Citi business news.

According to Doris Yaa Osei, in 2018 alone, Ghana imported 120 million cedis worth of Cattle, pork 13 million cedis, and sheep and goat about 14 million cedis. Of which most were imported alive and slaughtered for sale.

Affecting many local farms such as the Afariwaa Farms Darko Farms and Akate Farms, the main giants of meat production in the country.

She explained Ghana hardly subsidize farmers like other farmers “ here even if they subsidize, it is not very much.  Because they subsidize outside Ghana their production cost is very low”

“Outside they subsidize farmers a lot, but here even if they subsidize, it is not very much. So their production cost is very low, whereas the production cost is very high in Ghana. So we produce, but we are not able to sell because it is very expensive” she explained.

She says there is no justification for Ghana to import livestock, when they can be produced locally at a cheaper cost and boost revenue and employment.

“We are losing a lot of money and the sad thing is that some of the products they even bring have been kept for several years but because they know we want them, they bring them in and we rush for them” she bemoaned.

Doris Yaa Osei said that the only way to tackle the situation is for the government to cut down importation and equip livestock farmers with the right funding to meet local consumption.

Source: Citinewroom.com