Middlemen making local chicken more expensive than imported ones – Deputy Agric Minister, Dumelo

Deputy Minister of Agriculture John Dumelo has blamed middlemen for the high cost of locally produced poultry, warning that their pricing practices make imported chicken cheaper than Ghanaian poultry products. He said intermediaries often buy poultry from farmers at relatively low prices but sell it to consumers at significantly higher prices, making it difficult for Ghanaians to afford locally produced chicken.

Speaking on behalf of the government at a poultry round-table discussion in Accra on Monday, October 26, 2026, with the Netherlands, Mr Dumelo said the situation was undermining efforts to strengthen Ghana’s poultry industry. He explained that consumers’ inability to buy directly from farmers was driving up prices for locally produced poultry, putting domestic producers at a disadvantage against imported products.

“One thing that is of concern to me is the cost of producing poultry. If you look at the cost of production, the number of middlemen that carry it to the consumer, so yes, even though the farmer sells at affordable prices, maybe GHC80 before it gets to the final consumer, it is around GHC 200, and so let’s look at it,” he noted. According to him, the price disparity risks discouraging consumers from buying Ghanaian poultry, even as the government seeks to increase local production and reduce dependence on imports.

Mr Dumelo said the Ministry of Agriculture was taking the poultry sector seriously, particularly in view of the data highlighting Ghana’s reliance on imported chicken. “We are taking the poultry sector very seriously,” he said. His comments follow concerns raised by the Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Hans Akerboom, who disclosed that about 80 per cent of Ghana’s poultry supply was imported.

The Ambassador also revealed that Ghana imported poultry worth approximately €18 million from the Netherlands alone in 2024, in addition to supplies from countries such as Belgium, the United States and Brazil. The figures have highlighted the need for stronger local production, improved market access and collaboration between government and private-sector stakeholders.

Deputy Agric Minister John Dumelo and Hans Akerboom, Ambassador-designate of the Netherlands to Ghana, signed an MoU on partnership in the sector As part of efforts to address the challenges facing the industry, Mr Dumelo and Mr Akerboom signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in the poultry sector. The agreement is expected to provide a framework for closer collaboration between Ghana and the Netherlands to support the development of the industry.

The Netherlands has pledged to support Ghana through technical expertise, knowledge exchange, innovation and investment. H.E. Akerboom said the partnership would seek to create conditions for Ghanaian poultry farmers to expand their businesses, supply the domestic market consistently and benefit from existing demand. He said the Netherlands’ experience in developing its poultry industry through sustained investment in knowledge and innovation could provide useful lessons for Ghana.

The partnership also aligns with the government’s Feed Ghana programme and its 24-hour economy initiative, which are intended to create opportunities for agricultural production and business growth.