John Awuni, Chairman of the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana, has urged the government to extend duty-free rice importation to all industry stakeholders, rather than restricting it to a select group. His appeal follows the Ministry of Agriculture’s recent decision to permit only a few selected players to import 150,000 metric tonnes of rice. The move comes in response to a significant drop in maize and rice production, driven by severe drought conditions in the northern regions of the country.
Awuni praised the initiative but criticized the selective approach, saying it’s discriminatory and could harm the economy. “I commend the Minister of Agric for taking the step to remove duties and to ensure that this rice is imported into the country, but I will say that selecting a few players in the industry to import this product is quite discriminatory and unacceptable” he said.
To address the current challenges, Awuni recommended a two-part approach: first, eliminate duties on rice already held in bonded warehouses to help lower local market prices, and second, open future rice imports to all stakeholders, preventing shortages and stabilizing supply.
John Awuni stressed the need for inclusivity in the government’s approach to rice imports, noting that while the Ministry of Agriculture’s initiative to allow duty-free imports is a step in the right direction, it should be implemented in a way that benefits all industry players and ultimately the Ghanaian consumer. He warned that limiting the import privileges to a select few could undermine the initiative and fail to achieve the intended goals.
Awuni argued that excluding certain participants could backfire, creating inefficiencies in the market and negatively impacting the broader economy. He urged the government to adopt a more inclusive strategy that supports all stakeholders to ensure a stable rice supply and fair pricing for consumers.
SOURCE: https://dew360.net
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