The government plans to establish commercial maize and soya bean production clusters to reduce poultry feed costs and strengthen Ghana’s domestic poultry industry.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson announced the initiative while presenting the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on Thursday, November 12, 2026.
He said the clusters would be linked directly to feed mills through structured, bankable contracts to ensure a reliable supply of the key ingredients used in poultry feed production.
Dr Forson identified the high cost of feed as a major challenge facing poultry production, noting that it accounts for between 60 and 70 per cent of total production costs.
“Feed accounts for 60-70 per cent of poultry production costs,” he told Parliament, adding that the future of the poultry industry depended largely on the availability and affordability of maize and soya bean, the main ingredients for poultry feed.
“The future of poultry therefore depends on the future of maize and soyabean, which are the main ingredients for poultry feed,” he stated.
Under the proposed intervention, commercial maize and soya bean clusters will connect farmers directly to feed manufacturers through bankable supply agreements.
The Minister said the initiative was expected to lower feed costs and improve the competitiveness of local poultry producers.
He also indicated that the intervention would benefit the aquaculture industry, which relies on feed as a major production input.
“Lower feed costs will strengthen poultry and aquaculture at the same time. One productive chain will reinforce another,” Dr Forson said.
The maize and soya bean initiative forms part of government’s broader plan to develop an integrated poultry value chain, covering breeder farms, hatcheries, day-old chicks, feed production, vaccines, veterinary laboratories, modern poultry houses, processing plants, cold storage and retail distribution.
Government also plans to support commercially capable anchor farms to work with existing small and medium-sized producers and organised outgrowers.
Institutional buyers, retailers and hospitality businesses are expected to use transparent multi-year contracts to purchase locally produced chicken.
The interventions form part of the government’s US$3 billion Commercial Agriculture pillar under its broader economic transformation programme, which seeks to expand domestic agricultural production, strengthen agro-processing and reduce dependence on food imports.
