Ghana faces significant poultry demand as imported frozen chicken overshadows local farmers

GHANA – Ghana’s poultry industry is under pressure as chicken imports continue to rise, despite the country’s potential to meet demand through local production.

Ralph Ayitey, Chief Executive Officer of Coconut Grove Regency Hotel and National Treasurer of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), has raised concern over the widening gap between domestic capacity and the volume of imported frozen chicken.

He made the remarks during the launch of the 2025 Integrated Business Establishment Survey (IBES) report by the Ghana Statistical Service in Accra.

Ayitey said local poultry farmers are being edged out of the market due to high production costs that make it difficult to compete with cheaper imported products.

He questioned why a country with the resources and technical ability to produce its own poultry continues to depend heavily on imports.

According to him, this overreliance is not only affecting farmers but also weakening the country’s broader economic foundation.

He said addressing the problem will require coordinated efforts from government, private sector players, and smallholder farmers.

One of the major concerns he pointed out is the cost of feed, which accounts for nearly 80% of production expenses and has surged in recent years.

To improve local output, Ayitey proposed the introduction of import tariffs and direct support for poultry farmers through financial incentives and access to inputs.

He also suggested that consumer campaigns could help promote the consumption of locally produced chicken, creating a more sustainable market for domestic producers.

Meanwhile, efforts to support the industry are already underway through partnerships targeting youth employment and skills development.

The Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) has teamed up with Premier Poultry Limited, an agribusiness based in Kumasi, to train young people in poultry farming.

Under this program, Premier Poultry raises day-old chicks for six weeks before supplying them to smallholder farmers across the country.

The initiative is designed to help new entrants gain practical knowledge while ensuring that farmers receive healthy birds for rearing.

It is also expected to improve rural incomes and boost food security, especially in underserved communities.

In 2023, Ghana produced 50,482 metric tons of chicken meat, a slight rise from the previous year, while egg production reached 74,374 metric tons—a 15% year-on-year increase.

Projections indicate that poultry output may grow to 83,000 metric tons by 2028, but the sector still faces structural issues that limit its full potential.

Although the government introduced the Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ) initiative to modernize production, challenges such as rising feed prices and the 2023 removal of the Benchmark Value Discount have affected progress.

Stakeholders say without targeted interventions and policy backing, local poultry farmers will continue to lose ground to imports, many of which are sold at lower prices.

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