The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has raised concerns over Ghana’s growing dependence on imported poultry products, revealing that the country spends about $350 million annually on poultry imports.

Speaking on Joy FM on Friday, July 17, 2026, he said the government’s objective through the Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative is to increase the production and consumption of locally produced poultry while reducing reliance on imported chicken.

According to him, the funds spent on importing poultry could instead be channelled into developing the local poultry industry, creating jobs and supporting farmers across the value chain.

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He said the continued importation of poultry products benefits foreign economies by creating jobs in exporting countries while limiting opportunities for Ghanaian farmers and young people.

“As we speak, on an annual basis, we spend $350 million United States dollars to import poultry products into Ghana. That huge amount of money is creating jobs in those countries at the expense and peril of the youth of our nation,” he said.

He explained that the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme forms part of the government’s broader plan to expand the poultry sector through increased production, job creation and value addition.

He added that after supporting households under the first phase of the initiative, the next stage will focus on helping medium-scale poultry farmers increase their production capacity.

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“Some of them are able to move from 500 birds to about 3,000 birds. They need the capacity to expand, and it is the duty of government, as we pursue increased production, to give them that support to enable them to expand,” he said.

He stated that strengthening local production and encouraging the consumption of Ghanaian poultry products will be crucial to building a sustainable poultry industry and reducing the country’s dependence on imports.

DR/MA