The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Bryan Acheampong, has announced that the government plans to lift the recently imposed ban on grain exports by November. This move is expected to bring relief to stakeholders in the agricultural and trade sectors who have been impacted by the sudden halt in exports due to production challenges in northern Ghana.
The export ban, which took effect last week, was a response to alarming reports of reduced grain yields in the northern regions. The shortfalls were caused by an unusual dry spell that severely affected crop production, raising concerns about food security and the possibility of rising grain prices.
The government's decision to implement the export ban was aimed at securing the nation's food supply, ensuring that domestic needs were prioritised before allowing any grain to be sent abroad. This measure was seen as a necessary step to prevent potential shortages and stabilize the market.
During an interaction with journalists, Dr Acheampong expressed confidence that the current challenges would be addressed by November, paving the way for the government to lift the restrictions on grain exports. He emphasised the importance of closely monitoring the situation to make informed decisions.
Dr Acheampong also reassured the public that the government is keeping a close watch on weather patterns and agricultural outputs in the affected regions. He noted that these factors would play a crucial role in determining the timeline for lifting the export ban. "We will monitor the situation, but we believe that we will come out of this situation by November.
We should be very clear when the northern harvest comes in, and the southern sector comes in, and then the imports come in, by November we should be very clear and so we will monitor and we will apprise the nation," he said.
Bryan Acheampong grain November Related to this story Government targets mid-Sept.
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