Ghana’s rising food import bill continues to expose a long-standing disconnect between the country’s agricultural opportunities and its actual output, as new data reveals that more than GH¢36 billion was spent importing key food items in 2025.
According to the latest Annual International Merchandise Trade Statistics Report by the Ghana Statistical Service, food imports reached GH¢36.46 billion, with cereal grains, frozen chicken, rice and animal products accounting for a significant share.
Processed cereal grains topped the list at GH¢2.94 billion, representing 8.1 percent of total imports, followed closely by frozen chicken at GH¢2.84 billion and animal products such as guts, bladders and stomachs at GH¢2.72 billion. Rice imports also featured prominently, with semi-milled or wholly milled rice valued at GH¢2.39 billion and broken rice at GH¢1.19 billion.
Other imports included sugar, frozen fish, palm oil, mangoes and shea nuts—many of which can be produced locally under Ghana’s favourable agro-ecological conditions.
The figures highlight a persistent challenge: despite decades of agricultural policy interventions, Ghana has struggled to significantly reduce its dependence on imported food. State funded projects such as Planting for Food and Jobs, Rearing for Food and Jobs, and targeted rice and poultry development initiatives were introduced to boost local production and cut imports. The latest national agricultural project, the Feed Ghana Programme also promises to revert the trend.
However, these efforts have yielded limited long-term results due to inconsistent implementation, funding constraints, and weak value chain integration.
For instance, Ghana’s poultry sector has declined steadily, unable to compete with cheaper imported frozen chicken due to high feed costs and limited processing infrastructure. Similarly, rice production has not kept pace with demand, with local farmers constrained by irrigation gaps, post-harvest losses and limited access to finance.
Attempts to revive the sugar industry with the establishment of the Komenda Sugar Factory have also struggled, leaving the country reliant on imports despite suitable conditions for large-scale sugarcane production.
Altogether, the four leading imports—processed cereals, frozen chicken, animal products and rice, accounted for 30 percent of the food import bill, underscoring the scale of the challenge.
While the country continues to record gains in exports of processed cocoa, cashew, tuna and shea-based products, the imbalance between exports and imports reflects structural weaknesses in domestic food systems.
The report points to the need for stronger investment in agro-processing, improved infrastructure, and consistent policy execution to unlock Ghana’s capacity to produce more of what it consumes and reduce pressure on the economy.
