Image: Buntaa Farms Limited
Ghana’s efforts to strengthen its domestic poultry industry face a major market challenge, with high costs along the distribution chain pushing locally produced chicken beyond the reach of some consumers and making imported poultry more competitive.
Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture John Dumelo has raised concerns over the price difference between what farmers receive for their birds and what consumers eventually pay, arguing that intermediaries are contributing to the high retail cost of Ghanaian chicken.
Speaking at a poultry round-table discussion involving Ghana and the Netherlands in Accra on October 26, 2026, Dumelo explained that a bird sold by a farmer for around GH¢80 could cost approximately GH¢200 by the time it reaches the final consumer.
The price increase, he said, raises questions about the efficiency of the poultry supply chain and the role played by middlemen between producers and buyers.
When locally raised chicken becomes significantly more expensive at retail level, consumers may opt for cheaper imported alternatives, undermining efforts to expand domestic production and strengthen the position of Ghanaian poultry farmers.
Import dependence remains a major challenge
The concerns come as Ghana continues to rely heavily on imported poultry to meet domestic demand.
Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana Hans Akerboom disclosed during the discussions that imports account for approximately 80% of the country’s poultry supply.
Ghana imported poultry products worth about €18 million from the Netherlands in 2024, in addition to supplies from countries including Belgium, the United States and Brazil.
The figures highlight the challenge facing local producers as they attempt to compete with imported products while managing their own production and distribution expenses.
For Ghanaian poultry farmers, access to a reliable market is essential. Even when producers can raise healthy birds, high retail prices and an inefficient route to consumers can limit sales and weaken incentives to expand production.
Improving the connection between farmers, processors, retailers and consumers could therefore become an important part of efforts to make domestic poultry more competitive.
Ghana and Netherlands strengthen industry cooperation
Dumelo’s remarks coincided with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Ghana and the Netherlands aimed at supporting the development of the poultry sector.
The agreement is expected to provide a framework for cooperation in technical expertise, knowledge exchange, innovation and investment.
The Netherlands has offered to share experience and knowledge that could help Ghanaian poultry businesses improve their operations and respond more effectively to domestic demand.
Akerboom said the partnership was intended to create conditions for local farmers to expand their businesses and supply the market more consistently.
The collaboration also reflects the importance of combining public-sector support with private investment and practical industry knowledge to address constraints affecting poultry production.
Local production needs stronger market access
Ghana’s government has been pursuing initiatives to increase domestic poultry output and reduce reliance on imports. These include the Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative under the wider Feed Ghana programme, which aims to support poultry production, improve food security and create economic opportunities.
However, increasing the number of birds raised will not necessarily resolve the industry’s challenges if locally produced chicken remains expensive or difficult for consumers to access.
Reducing production costs, improving access to inputs, strengthening processing and distribution systems, and creating more direct links between farmers and buyers could all help address the price gap.
More efficient marketing arrangements could also enable farmers to receive reasonable returns without making the final product unaffordable for households.
The challenge is to ensure that improvements at farm level translate into competitive prices in shops and markets, while allowing producers and other businesses along the value chain to remain profitable.
Ghana’s poultry industry needs more than increased production to compete effectively with imports. Addressing excessive costs along the supply chain, improving market access and strengthening cooperation with industry partners will be crucial to helping local farmers reach consumers at competitive prices and reducing the country’s dependence on foreign poultry products.
