The Government of Ghana (GoG) has extended the temporary ban on exporting grains, including rice, maize, and soya beans, to September 30, 2022.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry, in its letter ref. No. DB6/118/03B, dated 13th April 2022, conveyed the approval of His Excellency the President to extend the temporary ban on the export of grains for six (6) months, effective 1 April 2022 to 30th September 2022, part of the release read. The temporary ban took effect in September 2021 and was to end in March 2022. However, it has been extended as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war.

On account of this directive, a press release statement from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) on May 18, 2022, sounded caution to all stakeholders, including the District Security Councils (DISECs), to disseminate information and intensify the monitoring of trucks carting grains from market centers to neighboring countries.

“We urge that prompt action is taken at all times with the involvement of the security agencies to give full effect to the directive of His Excellency the President,” the press release concluded.

The extension of the temporary grain ban comes amidst the food shortage crisis due to the Ukraine war and a poor harvest season in the country. Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, many doomsayers have predicted food insecurity amidst higher inflationary turnouts on goods and services in Ghana. These predictions appear to be a reality, with more danger looming for 2023.

NDDI predicts food scarcity in Ghana.

The Northern Development and Democratic Institute (NDDI) has predicted that Ghana will likely face severe food shortages and hunger in the last quarter of 2022, stretching further into 2023. Based on the prediction, NDDI explained that the cause of acute food shortages and hunger is a result of the government not heeding the global warning on the looming food crisis

According to NDDI, COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war have adversely compounded the food security challenges around the world, especially in countries within Sub-Sahara Africa, due to shortages in natural gas and fertilizer supplies.

This move from the government to ban grain export aims to avert any looming food security danger predicted.

While some experts have showered praises on the government for the initiative, others have frowned on this initiative, adding that the Government could seize the opportunity to expand grain production and export to generate revenue.

Government needs to build on ‘some silver linings’ in the Agric. sector

Following the ban, some agri-stakeholders have advised the government to leverage key agriculture sector performance indicators to push growth.

“The government needs to build on ‘some silver linings’ in the Agriculture sector, driven by the prospect of a favorable Agriculture commodity market-oriented Ecosystem, to speed up the economic recovery. The rural economy is doing slightly better than the urban economy, which is still grappling with COVID-19 and the Russia Ukraine war. Rural economy, which accounts for 47 percent of the population and 25 percent of GDP, is proven to be a buffer because of expanded rural economy spending.”
Chamber of Agribusiness