[ 2012-08-16 ]

Maize deficit to widen
The shortfall between domestic production and
consumption of maize is expected to reach 267,000
metric tonnes by 2015 if urgent measures are not
put in place to address the yawning gap,
projections by the Millennium Development
Authority show.

The annual domestic deficit in maize, the largest
staple crop in the country, is estimated to be
between 84,000 and 145,000 metric tonnes. This
represents a shortfall in domestic production of
between 9 and 15 percent of total human
consumption

Domestic maize production fell from 1,871,695
metric tonnes in 2010 to 1,683,984 metric tonnes
in 2011, representing a decrease in production of
the staple crop by 11 percent, data from Ministry
of Food and Agriculture show.

The crop, which is the second-largest commodity
crop in the country after cocoa, accounts for
50-60 percent of total cereal production and is an
important crop for Ghana's agricultural sector and
for food security.

Indeed, the shortfall in the production of the
crop will adversely affect small income families
who rely heavily on the staple crop as prices are
likely to rise.

The poultry industry is the hardest hit. Estimated
demand for maize for poultry feed is projected to
grow from 73,000 metric tonnes in 2010 to 118,100
metric tonnes by 2015. However, poultry farmers
may have to import expensive yellow maize to feed
their birds, due to the inability to meet that
demand locally.

Limited supply of maize for feed production has
led to constraints in the growth of the poultry
industry, resulting in significant growth in
imports of poultry and other meats for
consumption. This has led to an increase in
poultry imports from abroad in recent years.

Global Food Security Index 2012, which is an
assessment of food affordability, availability and
quality, ranked Ghana 68th among 105 countries
surveyed -- and scored the country 43.1 out of
100, where 100 represents the most favourable
index.

High food prices, according to the Index, are an
important cause of food insecurity.

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Food
Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Mr. Eric Osei-Wusu,
in a recent interview with the B&FT said there is
a need for the country to strengthen its food
security policies.

“Food affordability is also part of food security,
and these are the things we need to strengthen to
improve our food security status globally,” he
said.

He said NAFCO is currently investing in securing
more storage facilities as well as improving the
whole value chain.

One of NAFCO's key responsibilities is to
encourage farmers to produce more grains, which is
its priority since it possesses the technology to
store the products and release to the community
appropriately in emergencies. This is why NAFCO
guarantees fixed prices for grains to give the
farmers a ready market, he added.

A major challenge to the activities of NAFCO is
inadequate warehouses, and he blamed the private
sector for not doing too well in that regard. He
said there are a lot of warehouses, but this does
not mean they are conducive to storing grains
because the siting of a warehouse is crucial.

Source - Thebftonline.com

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