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THE MINISTER of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto said that the introduction of soybean restriction legislation and the subsequent inauguration of the implementation committee will go a long way in addressing the challenges facing the poultry industry in the country.
The minister said that local industry players can now take advantage of the enactment of the legislative instrument restricting the export of the commodity to build local capacity and expand their operations.
Hon. Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto made the statement when he joined his colleague Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, to inaugurate the Soybean Export Committee last Friday.
The government of Ghana, in response to concerns about unfair trading practices by industry players, has taken steps to restrict the export of soybeans to overseas markets.
Soy is one of the main crops in the government’s flagship Plantation for Food and Employment (PFJ) program
Production of this product in Ghana is estimated to have increased from 40,000 metric tonnes in 2016 to 200,000 metric tonnes since the start of the PFJ program in 2017.
But despite this significant increase in production, industry players, especially poultry farmers, continued to face major challenges due to unfair trading practices by foreigners who are mainly engaged in the export of the commodity under its raw or transformed form.
In order to meet these challenges, this government, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Trade and Industry, in the meantime introduced the soybean restriction legislation (LI 2432) , which was passed by Parliament last year, to put restriction on the export and import of goods.
COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE
Committee members were drawn from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Trade and Industry, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), farmers’ organizations, poultry farmers, the Food and Drugs Authority. (FDA), as well as the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).
The Committee is chaired by the Director General of the Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Patrick Yaw Nimo.
Other members include Director of Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate of MOFA, Dr Felicia Amprofi, Project Director of GEPA, Mr. Alexander Dadzawa, Mr. Gabriel Kwame Asamoah, Director of Revenue, GRA, Mr. Victor Oppong, National President of the Poultry Farmers Association and Alhaji Mashud Mohammed, who represents soybean producers.
EXPECTED BENEFITS
Addressing members at the inaugural ceremony, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto said the enactment and establishment of the committee would go a long way in addressing the myriad of challenges facing industry players.
Hon. Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto noted that the legal restriction serves as a win-win approach for all actors, pointing out that farmers can now sell more of their produce if registered buyers are known.
He further pointed out that local processors would be assured of volumes all year round, while there would be known product locations in all production areas.
“We believe this is a huge respite for poultry farmers and the poultry industry as they would be assured of product availability year round. It will also be a means of creating more jobs for our teeming young people who wish to go into agriculture with a huge boost from the PFJ program, ”the Minister underlined.
Hon. Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto further hinted that the government would also be assured of the necessary taxes of a well-regulated export, explaining that with the expected increase in production in the coming seasons, the realized surpluses can be exported by the appropriate process, to earn the country huge foreign exchange.
“It also presents a golden opportunity for our researchers to undertake various studies on the preferential behaviors of local and foreign variants.
“International trade will also experience significant growth as advanced orders for products would be converted into local production by farmers.”
The Minister of Food and Agriculture therefore instructed the members of the Committee to diligently carry out their mandate in order to achieve the necessary benefits for the country.
For his part, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, who inaugurated the Committee, described the success of the government’s flagship program Planter for Food and Jobs as crucial for industrial dynamics. from the country.
He said that although the increased production of the selected crops under the PFJ program provided the necessary impetus for the One District, One Factory program, there were enormous challenges in the management and trade of these crops. products, hence the need for legislation to help stakeholders in their operations.
He therefore implored the members to work with commitment and integrity in order to achieve their goals.
While reminding them of their duties and responsibilities as set out in the LOI, Mr. Kyerematen advised them to be mindful of all international trade protocols, especially in the West African sub-region, so as not to shake up the country’s import and export regimes.
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