Gov’t pushing to ban the import of Rice, Fruit juices, fish, yemuadie About 22 Items

Gov’t pushing to ban the import of Rice, Fruit juices, fish, and yemuadie About 22 Items

The government of Ghana is pushing to establish a regulation that will restrict the importation of what they call strategic products.

This development is set to take place without the Minority’s proposed establishment of a committee by the government to assess the move.

Some items include rice, fruit juices, yemuadie, fish, cement, and some other 17 items.

The attempt to lay the regulation was scuttled by the Minority last Monday.

The NDC side demanded further consultations with the Subsidiary Legislation Committee.

This was despite Trade Minister KT Hammond’s justification to journalists about what exactly the regulation is about and how important it is to the government.

Find the full list of 22 items considered for import restriction below:

Rice
Guts, bladders, and stomach of animals
Poultry
Animal and Vegetable Oil
Margarine
Fruit Juices
Soft Drink
Mineral Water
Noodles and Pasta
Ceramic Tiles
Corrugated Paper and Paper Board
Mosquito Coil and Insecticides
Soaps and Detergents
Motor Cars
Iron and Steel
Cement
Polymers (Plastics and Plastic Products)
Fish
Sugar
Clothing and Apparel
Biscuits
Canned Tomatoes

The country currently spends about US$600 million to import poultry every year.

At the hearing over allegations of dumping of chicken in the country by the Ghana International Trade Commission, the National Chairman of the Poultry Farmers Association, Victor Oppong, said about 600,000 tonnes of frozen chicken were imported into the country every year and sold at cheaper prices, resulting in the near collapse of the domestic poultry market.

“On an annual basis, we receive 600,000 tonnes of frozen chicken, which is made up of 569 million birds valued at $600 million. We are saying that the import is collapsing the poultry industry as well as putting more pressure on the local currency,” Mr Oppong said.

Rice

In 2018, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, also bemoaned the increasing resort to imports to meet the rice needs of the populace.

He said the development was costing the nation an average of US$1 billion annually.

The value of rice imports rose from US$151 million in 2007 to US$1.16 billion in 2015.
Imports of vegetable oils, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, ceramic tiles, and other non-critical goods also cost the country similar amounts, leading to the continuous decline in the reserves of the BoG, which leads to the perennial depreciation of the local currency, the cedi.

BOG

The central bank withdrew the support as part of efforts to maximize the country’s reserves while encouraging domestic production and the consumption of local substitutes.

The decision has been communicated to the lenders electronically.

BoG said in the electronic message that its decision followed a directive by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his October 30 2022 address to the state.

“By the President’s directive issued at his address to the nation on the Ghanaian economy, on October 30, 2022, BoG will no longer provide FX support for the imports of rice, poultry, vegetable oils, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, ceramic tiles, and other non-critical goods.

“Please be advised and act accordingly,” the central bank said.

The Next step is what we may be experiencing

Credit; Myjoyonline.com / Graphiconline.com.gh