The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Builsa South in the Upper East Region, Daniel Kwame Gariba, has addressed the ongoing challenge faced by the district in meeting market demands for rice. Since 2019, when reports of a rice glut and extensive information on rice production were highlighted by the media, the district has been grappling with insufficient supply to satisfy market needs.
Mr. Gariba emphasised that the district’s inability to meet market demands cannot be attributed to a lack of interest in increasing production. Instead, it is primarily due to an overwhelming subscription of the rice produced.
Despite a surge in interest and participation in rice farming over the past few years, farmers are still unable to fulfil the requirements of aggregators.
During an interview on the Day Break Upper East Show, the DCE explained that the demand for locally grown rice has been so high that farmers no longer need to store their harvested rice as it is immediately purchased by aggregators at the farm gate.
This points to the significant opportunity that exists within the local rice market, necessitating a concerted effort to address the production gap and ensure a steady supply to meet consumer needs.
“The media coverage and the noise around it, informed buyers of this product. Since 2019, we have never had that story [glut], resurfacing. Just at the point of harvest, the buyers are there and buying right at the farm gate. The farmer would not have to labour to look for space to store his produce before he looks for a buyer. The buyers would tell you they don’t get up to what they want.”
“Those who do not sell the rice are some of the farmers who want to go into rice processing,” he explained.
Earlier, the DCE stated that the Builsa South district in the Upper East Region had experienced a remarkable surge in the demand for engineered rice fields. Recently, farmers in Uwasi, a community within the district, voiced their concerns over land distribution. Many of these farmers, initially allocated between 15 and 20 acres, expressed the need for additional land to expand their farming operations.
During an interview on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show on June 5, 2023, Daniel Kwame Gariba, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Builsa South, shed light on the situation. He highlighted that this upswing in demand signifies the resounding success of the government’s initiatives aimed at promoting rice production and making it a more enticing venture.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
