The government is proposing a policy that will require rice importers to purchase 50 per cent of their intended import volumes from local farmers before being granted import permits.

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson outlined the proposal during an interaction with students and members of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) community.

He explained that an importer seeking a permit for 100,000 metric tonnes of rice could be required to demonstrate that 50,000 metric tonnes had already been purchased locally.

The proposal forms part of efforts to expand the market for Ghanaian rice farmers and reduce the country’s reliance on imports.

Dr Ato Forson also said the government was considering stricter procurement rules to ensure state-funded institutions bought locally produced rice, especially for meals provided under the Free SHS programme.

He questioned why domestic farmers continued to struggle to sell their produce when government spends about GH¢4.5 billion to GH¢5 billion annually on the programme, including approximately GH¢3.5 billion on student feeding.

The minister said public expenditure should generate economic opportunities for local producers rather than sustain demand for imported goods.

He extended the argument to the textile sector, questioning the sourcing of uniforms for the security services from abroad while local manufacturers such as Juapong Textiles and Akosombo Textiles faced operational challenges.

He said the government wanted military and police uniforms to be sourced locally to support domestic manufacturing and employment.

Dr Ato Forson said some of the proposed measures would be backed by legislation, with penalties for institutions and individuals that failed to comply.

He said the broader policy direction was to use government procurement and trade measures to strengthen local industries and create jobs.

Published Date: November 11, 2026