Ghana’s Rice lndustry Has No Future – Rice Distributor Predicts.
The Southern Sector distributor of the Tamanaa Company’s Ltd rice, Alhaji Musa Abubakari has observed that the future of the country’s rice industry stands bleak since rice producers have no guarantee that prove that the challenges confronting the sector can be stabilized.
Speaking to the Correspondent in an interview, Alhaji Musa Abubakari who also doubles as the Chairman of the Moslems Executive Foundation (MEF) indicated that efforts of the stakeholders to ensure more rice production have been allegedly met with strong opposition from the internal forces who have the power to transform the industry.
He said previously rice production in the country was encouraging, leading to job creation and revenue mobilization to support the government.
According to chairman Abubakari who is also the Managing Director of Basfam Co.Ltd in Kumasi, it took rice producers by surprise when they realized that opportunities have been given to some companies to import rice into the country.
Chairman Musa said the situation compelled the stakeholders in rice production to meet the sector Minister who gave assurance to discourage the foreign import, stressing that the assurances have since become a mirage.
Now foreign rice is abundant in the market at low cost, thus scaring the public to participate in the local rice he termed as very nutritious than the imported ones.
The Southern Sector rice distributor for Tamanaa Co Ltd hinted that his company and for that matter other local rice producers have large quantities of stocks that have not been distributed due to the problems they have on marketing.
The sector Minister has allegedly failed to support us to produce the local rice in quantities for both local consumption and export, the business man disclosed.
Adding that having no alternative we have to sit down and supervise the collapse of our companies.
Alhaji Musa Abubakari told the Correspondent that his company Tamanaa Co Ltd currently have over 4,000 workforce and it is likely that the Company will lay off the workers if the marketing and sales challenge continue to hit the outfit.
Having made the statement he advised Ghanaians to shun buying foreign rice that have been allegedly stocked for many years before importing them into the country.
Instead, charged the citizens to participate in the local rice which contains nutrients that can help improve ones health.
