The Ministry of Food and Agriculture says it has put in an urgent request to Cabinet to get compensation for poultry farmers affected by the recent Bird flu disease.
The Ministry last month announced the outbreak of the Avian Influenza disease in three regions which affected several farms with close to 110 thousand birds destroyed so far.
Most farmers affected say they fear that if they do not receive any compensation from the government to cushion them, their businesses are likely to fold up as they are also battling with the high cost of feed for their birds.
However, speaking at a media briefing in Accra, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto noted that, compensation for such farmers is highly being considered and assured them of government’s commitment to the sector.
“So far it has affected 110,000 birds and of course farmers are looking for compensation and we are doing a very urgent request to cabinet to make that requirement”
On the issue of importation of maize, Dr Owusu Afriyie-Akoto said the importation of maize is expected to reduce in the next three years.
“When we came on imports of maize have virtually vanished. It went down from 80,00 to 40,000 in 2017 to 80,000 in 2018 and then these in 2019 are special maize that is needed for poultry production which is a type we cannot produce in Ghana, otherwise we have zero in this two instances.”
He says a reduction can be achieved if the rate of production in the country is maintained.
