Accra: An oversupply of agricultural produce is emerging as a growing concern nationwide, with farmers struggling to sell harvested crops amid weak demand and policy delays - raising fears about the country's future food security.
According to Ghana Web, Bismark Owusu Nortey, the Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), has warned that the worsening glut could discourage farmers from planting in the next season as many weigh the risk of adding to already unsold stock. Speaking in an interview with Business and Financial Times (B and FT), Nortey noted that feedback from farmers suggests the situation has not improved and, in some cases, has deteriorated.
Nortey highlighted that some rice farmers in the Northern Region lost entire fields to bushfires due to the inability to harvest on time, stemming from the absence of ready markets for their produce. This challenge extends beyond rice, affecting producers of maize, soya, cassava, and yam, particularly in the Oti Region, who are facing unsold harvests and dropping prices.
The glut, Nortey explained, is largely due to policy decisions in 2024, when the government allowed significant imports of rice and maize to avert shortages during the dry season, followed by strong harvests in 2025. This led to an excess supply in the market, with produce surpassing consumer demand. Prices have dropped sharply, with traders offering as little as GHS300 for a 100-kilogramme bag of maize, which is below the cost of inputs for farmers. Some farmers have resorted to storing produce in hopes of future price recovery.
Additionally, the influx of imported rice, now cheaper due to the appreciation of the cedi, along with consumer preference for foreign rice and persistent smuggling through illegal border routes, has exacerbated the situation. Nortey emphasized that this scenario is placing severe financial strain on farmers and eroding confidence in the agricultural sector.
Regarding government interventions, Nortey critiqued the slow and ineffective responses, particularly from the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), which promised to purchase local rice and maize but has been slow to act. He urged the government to procure locally produced food for public institutions and strengthen border controls to curb smuggling.
Farmers like Paul Boamey, who grows cassava, yam, and rice in the Oti Region, confirmed the challenges, stating that produce harvested over the past four months remains largely unsold. Gari processing companies, which used to buy cassava, have stopped purchasing due to sufficient stock, and cereal crop buyers are either unavailable or offering low prices. Despite complaints to authorities, farmers like Boamey are under financial pressure and facing creditor harassment.
Seth Agbemavor, a rice farmer in the Volta Region, attributed part of the problem to disruptions after a change in government, which halted purchases by public and private institutions. He noted limited support from PFAG and little assistance from other stakeholders.
Without urgent and coordinated intervention, PFAG warns, the current glut could undermine farmer livelihoods, reduce future production, and pose long-term risks to national food security.