Farmers across Ghana have announced their decision to boycott the 2025 Farmers’ Day celebrations over what they describe as a worsening crisis in the country’s food production sector, particularly among rice, maize, and soya producers.
In a statement dated Wednesday, October 29, issued by the Committee for the Promotion of Local Rice and Other Commodities, the farmers said their decision reflects “deep frustration” over government inaction despite multiple assurances to address their challenges.
According to the statement, the leadership of rice producers and millers, maize farmers, mechanization service providers, input dealers, and apex farmer associations—alongside agribusiness stakeholders—have resolved to boycott all Farmers’ Day events at the district, regional, and national levels.
“This unprecedented decision reflects the deep frustration of farmers over the worsening crisis in Ghana’s food production sector, particularly among rice, maize, and soya producers,” the statement read.
The group accused the government of failing to follow through on a September 23, 2025, commitment by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to ensure the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) purchases all local rice and maize.
“Despite repeated government assurances… promising that every grain of rice and maize would be purchased through the National Food Buffer Stock Company, farmers are still waiting. No action has been taken, and the situation has left many producers unable to sell their harvests,” the statement added.
They further lamented that the local market has been flooded with “cheap, expired, and smuggled imported rice,” allegedly brought in through unapproved routes and repackaged by “politically connected cartels.”
“These actors benefit from government contracts and repackage expired imports, brought in through unapproved borders without paying the necessary taxes. Such practices are crippling Ghanaian farmers, who cannot sell at competitive prices and are being driven into debt and bankruptcy,” they said.
To address the crisis, the farmers outlined several key demands, including the suspension of all foreign rice imports for six months starting November 2025 and mandatory procurement of Ghana rice and maize by public institutions such as schools, hospitals, prisons, and the security services, among others.
They also urged the Ministry of Finance to “urgently release substantial funding for NAFCO to purchase surplus maize and rice” and called for the introduction of a guaranteed minimum price for rice and maize to protect local producers from exploitation.
Below is a copy of the statement
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
