Government is taking poultry sector seriously – Dumelo

Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture John Dumelo says the government is taking the country’s poultry sector seriously and is committed to addressing challenges affecting local production. Speaking on behalf of the government at a poultry round-table discussion with the Netherlands in Accra on Monday, October 26, Mr Dumelo said data on the sector had highlighted the need for urgent attention and stronger collaboration.

“We are taking the poultry sector very seriously,” he said. He also raised concerns about the high cost of locally produced poultry, attributing part of the problem to middlemen who increase prices along the supply chain. Mr Dumelo explained that although farmers could sell poultry at about GH¢80, the price could rise to around GH¢200 by the time it reached consumers.

“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. READ ALSO: 80% poultry import dependence highlights need to grow local production – Netherlands Ambassador He said the price difference made locally produced chicken less affordable and weakened its competitiveness against imported poultry.

The Deputy Minister subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, Hans Akerboom, to strengthen cooperation in the poultry sector. The partnership is expected to support efforts to improve local production through technical expertise, knowledge exchange and investment. The government earlier established the Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative.

It is a poultry development programme under the Feed Ghana Programme, launched in November 2025 to boost household poultry farming, improve food security, create jobs and reduce Ghana’s reliance on imported chicken. The government aims to distribute millions of birds and chicks, with support for household producers, small and medium-scale farmers and commercial poultry operators.

In July 2026, Feed Ghana Coordinator Bright Demordzi said about 2.5 million birds had been distributed under the initiative. The programme also targets a 50% reduction in poultry imports in the medium term, according to Mr Demordzi. The government has said the initiative is intended to strengthen local production and make Ghana less dependent on imported poultry products.