Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has commended the Pakistan Embassy in Ghana for organizing the Rice Road Show in Accra, describing it as a timely intervention to help bridge Ghana’s rice production deficit.
Speaking on the sidelines of the two-day event at the Mövenpick Hotel, Mr. Opoku highlighted the significant gap between local rice production and national consumption.
“Thank you so much for this opportunity. This is a very important program for us. Currently, there is a huge gap between rice production and demand in Ghana. Consumption is estimated at around 1.5 million metric tonnes, while local production is hovering around 600,000 tonnes,” he said.
The minister explained that the government, through its Feed Ghana program, is implementing measures to boost domestic rice production. However, until these measures take full effect, imports will remain necessary to ensure food security.
“In the meantime, we have to rely on imports to meet demand, and we want quality rice imported into this country. This morning, the people of Pakistan have given us the opportunity to look at their rice, specifically basmati rice, which is of high quality. Once it meets our national standards, Ghanaians will be able to patronize it,” he stated.
Mr. Opoku also emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two countries in areas such as knowledge transfer to strengthen the agricultural sector.
Director General of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Athar Hussain Khokhar, said Ghana’s growing demand for quality rice aligns with Pakistan’s production strengths.
“This showcase is a gateway to lasting partnerships,” he said.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. Najeeb Durran, described Ghana as a promising market for Pakistani rice and commended TDAP for spearheading the initiative.
The two-day trade show brought together Ghanaian rice importers, distributors, retailers, and agri-investors, alongside more than 25 leading Pakistani rice exporters.
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Source: myjoyonline.com
