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Ghana exported 70,052 metric tonnes of five different staple foods to neighboring countries last year.
2020 export figures
The numbers for each staple are corn: 17,240 metric tons, rice – 322 metric tons, yam – 31,127 metric tons, plantain – 20,667 metric tons, and soybeans – 697 metric tons.
Food and Agriculture Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto announced it yesterday in Accra at the minister’s press conference.
418,450 metric tonnes exported between 2015 and 2020
Data released by the sector minister revealed that Ghana exported 418,450 metric tons of the five staple foods to neighboring countries between 2015 and 2020.
Staple food exports since 2015
The annual export of the five staple foods over the past six years is 35,154 metric tons in 2015, 48,011 metric tons in 2016, 81,193 metric tons in 2017, 99,054 metric tons in 2018 and 84,986 metric tons in 2019.
2015 export figures
The figures for each staple food exported in 2015 are corn – 11,015 metric tons, rice – 3,400 metric tons, yam – 2,489 metric tons, plantain – 16,052 metric tons and soybeans – 2,198 metric tons.
2016 export figures
The figures for each staple food exported in 2016 are corn – 10,909 metric tons, rice – 3,066 metric tons, yam – 10,503 metric tons, plantain – 21,459 metric tons, and soybeans – 2,073 metric tons. metric tons.
2017 export figures
The figures for each staple food exported in 2017 are corn – 19,666 metric tons, rice – 3,671 metric tons, yam – 13,352 metric tons, plantain – 40,935 metric tons and soybeans – 3,569 metric tons. metric tons.
2018 export figures
The figures for each staple food exported in 2018 are corn – 23,483 metric tonnes, rice – 3,527 metric tonnes, yam – 24,667 metric tonnes, plantain – 43,802 metric tonnes, and soybeans – 3,575 metric tonnes metric tons.
2019 export figures
The figures for each staple food exported in 2019 are corn – 14,128 metric tons, rice – 759 metric tons, yam – 29,078 metric tons, plantain – 40,190 metric tons, and soybeans – 830 metric tons. .
Agricultural export earnings multiplied by 8 in 10 years
Dr Afriyie Akoto projected that Ghana’s agricultural export earnings would increase by eight times its current earnings over the next decade.
This, he said, is expected to bring the country in revenues of nearly $ 2.5 billion, the same amount Ghana earns each year from cocoa.
Export earnings expected to reach $ 16 billion
With the establishment of the Tree Crop Development Authority, the minister hoped that Ghana’s farm income could increase to $ 16 billion over the next 10 years.
He listed cashews, shea nuts, mangoes, coconuts, rubber and oil palm which he said could help Ghana reach the target figure.
Maize production reaches 2,019,000 metric tonnes in 2020
Dr Akoto also said corn production increased to 2,019,000 metric tonnes in 2020 despite fertilizer shortages.
Rice production reaches 919,000 metric tons in 2020
Rice production also increased to 919,000 metric tonnes, with soybeans also registering an increase to 193,000 metric tonnes.
94% increase in corn yields per hectare
Between 2016 and 2020, the minister said corn yield increased by 94% in metric tonnes per hectare.
From 1.7 metric tons in 2016, it increased to 3.5 metric tons in 2017, to 3.5 metric tons in 2018, to 3.8 metric tons in 2019, and fell to 3.3 metric tons due to drought.
67% increase in rice yields per hectare
Regarding rice, Dr Afriyie Akoto said he recorded a 67% increase in yields per hectare, from 2.7 metric tons in 2016 to 4 metric tons in 201 and 2018, and increased further to 4, 3 metric tons in 2019 and 4.5 metric tons. tonnes in 2020.
82% increase in sorghum yields per hectare
The minister said that sorghum recorded an 82% increase in yield per hectare, from 1.1 metric tons in 2016 to 1.24 metric tons in 2018, 1.39 metric tons in 2019 and 2 metric tons in 2020. .
6% drop in soybean yields per hectare
Soybeans, meanwhile, registered a 6% decline in the five periods, registering 1.7 metric tons in 2016, 3 metric tons in 2017, 3 metric tons in 2018, 2 metric tons in 2019 and fell to 1.6 metric tons in 2020 due to drought.
Strong increase in fertilizer application
According to him, fertilizer use which was 134,000 metric tonnes in 2016 fell to 121,000 metric tonnes in 2017 and subsequently experienced the following increases: 247,039 metric tonnes in 2018, 331,348 metric tonnes in 2019 , 423,473 metric tonnes in 2020 and 2021 has a target of 520,000 metric tonnes.
Seed supply reaches 29,500 metric tonnes in 2020
For the increased quantities of seeds provided under the food crops module, they increased from 2,700 metric tonnes in 2016 to 4,400 metric tonnes in 2017, 6,822 metric tonnes in 2018, 18,333 metric tonnes in 2019, 29,500 metric tonnes in 2020, and a target of 40,000 metric tonnes in 2021.
He said the government will continue to provide adequate support to farmers through improved delivery of extension services and provision of seeds to farmers so that Ghana’s yield continues on this positive trajectory.
Situation before PFJ
Describing the agricultural situation in Ghana prior to the launch of Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) in 2017, he said it only included 11% of food crop farmers using improved seeds, around 15% of farmers using fertilizers. , the fertilizer application rates were 8 kg per hectare, The extension to farmer ratio was 1: 1900 and the total number of extension workers was 1560.
Others are the yields of most staple crop varieties such as maize, rice and root tubers were between 40% and 45% of potential yields, vegetable exports to the European Union market (EU) were banned, the growing devastating effects of fall armyworm (FAW) on crops, especially maize, and the 68 mechanization centers were down and not providing services to farmers.
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