Rice glut: Inadequate storage hampering food mop-up - NAFCO
NAFCO says inadequate storage infrastructure is constraining efforts to purchase and preserve surplus rice and grains despite the government's release of GH¢300 million for strategic food reserves. According to Mr Osmond Amuah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NAFCO, "The challenge still remains that the storage space is inadequate." He also stated, "Buffer Stock warehouses have all been full. There's no space."
Mr. Amuah said that government interventions under agricultural programmes had significantly increased food production, resulting in excess produce on the market. NAFCO's installed storage capacity nationwide stands at about 129,000 metric tonnes, but only between 40,000 and 44,000 metric tonnes are currently usable. Ghana's storage deficit is estimated at about 420,000 metric tonnes. Mr. Amuah said that Ghana's annual grain consumption exceeds six to seven million metric tonnes. He appealed to Ghanaians to patronise locally produced rice.
Mr. Amuah said the government and NAFCO have begun refurbishing abandoned warehouses and expanding storage systems nationwide. The World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting NAFCO with equipment valued at more than one million dollars, while a contract worth nearly two million dollars has been awarded for rehabilitation works at a major warehouse facility in Tamale. Six private partners have been engaged under a zonal arrangement to support grain purchases across the Northern, Middle and Southern sectors of the country.
Quick Summary
NAFCO is struggling to manage surplus rice and grains despite government funding- inadequate storage is hampering their efforts. The lack of storage infrastructure may have far-reaching effects on food security.
Summary - read the full story for complete context.
Image: MyJoyOnline
GhanaFront aggregates news from trusted sources. Click to read the original article.
Keywords
Explore related tagsMore from MyJoyOnline
Related Stories
More from Business & Economy
Ex-NAFCO boss Hanan and wife dragged back to court over alleged theft, fraud and money laundering exceeding GH¢60m
A high-profile couple is back in court amid accusations of financial crimes - but what exactly is at stake?
11h ago•4 min read
Govt urges Gaming Commission to align industry growth with economic transformation agenda
The Gaming Commission is under pressure to do more - but what does the government expect of them?
7h ago•3 min read
STC targets 120 new buses to combat mounting terminal delays
Mounting delays plague a major transport company - but can new buses really solve the problem?
8h ago•3 min read
Ghana must take control of mining sector, but not through abrupt policy shifts - Kenneth Ashigbey
Ghana's mining sector is at a crossroads, but what path will policymakers choose to ensure continued growth?
1d ago•3 min read
