The Agric Ministry has downplayed fears that the ongoing crisis in Burkina Faso may lead to a food shortage in Ghana.
According to the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Crops Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan ‘I don’t think Ghana will suffer because of the crisis.
Tomatoes, yes, we import from them, but the volumes of tomatoes we import from them does not even make up for the one that we produce in the Volta Region alone’.
Ghana depends heavily on tomatoes, onions, carrots and livestock imports from Burkina Faso especially during the festive season.
There have been fears the ongoing crisis in that country may affect food imports into Ghana and likely lead to a shortage.
But Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alassan has downplayed these fears.
He says Ghanaian exporters of food stuff must take advantage of the Burkina Faso crisis and increase their revenue.
“We are praying that the situation stabilizes so that it does not have an impact on our economy. But let me stress that any eventual problems that may emerge should have a positive impact on the agric economy of Ghana, the immediate effect will be on the agric economy of Burkina Faso, so I think our farmers must rather take advantage of this. The crisis will rather work to the advantage of the Ghanaian farmer.”
By: Norvan Acquah-Hayford/citifmonline.com/Ghana