President Nana Akufo-Addo says recent shortage of grains across the globe following the Russian-Ukraine war forced government to ban the export of cereals.

Government earlier this year extended the ban on the exportation of grains including maize, rice and soya beans.

Speaking at the commissioning of a new production plant at Nestle Ghana Limited in Tema, President Akufo-Addo explained that government had to take the tough decision to save the country’s food production sub-sector.

“In order to boost access to domestic materials during this period of food shortages, goverment had to ban the export of domestic materials particularly grains.”

“This is in addition to the substantial investments already made in the agricultural sector to boost agricultural productivity and yield.”

Two months ago, the Ministry of Trade and Industry restricted the export of the two commodities to ensure the availability of the products, whose production is subsidized.

Apart from recent data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) indicating the increasing cost of foodstuff, there have been concerns about a possible food shortage in Ghana.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has however downplayed these claims.