I am a poultry farmer in the Eastern Region. I have 5,000 broiler chickens ready for market. I cannot sell them because imported frozen chicken from Brazil and the United States is cheaper than my production cost.
The government imposed a ban on frozen chicken imports years ago to protect local farmers. But the ban is not enforced. Shipping containers arrive at Tema Port every week. Customs officers look the other way. Middlemen bribe their way through.
Meanwhile, farmers like me are going bankrupt. I have taken loans to buy feed. My chickens grow bigger every day, which means more feed cost and less profit when they become too heavy for the market. In two weeks, I will have to sell at a loss just to recover something. Some of my neighbors have already closed their farms. They are now selling imported frozen chicken on the street because that is where the money is.
The government cannot claim to support agriculture while allowing foreign products to destroy local industry. We need enforcement, not promises.
Our Demands:
The Ministry of Trade must publish monthly seizure and prosecution data for illegal chicken imports
Whistleblower rewards for customs officers who report illegal shipments
Emergency purchase program for local farmers with surplus birds
Tariff increases on imported chicken to make local production competitive