The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG) is calling for an immediate comprehensive audit of all rice brands on the Ghanaian market, citing unchecked smuggling and substandard imports that threaten local farmers and national food security.
Chief Executive Officer Anthony Morrison expressed alarm about what he described as illegal smuggling primarily through Ghana’s northern borders. He said the illicit trade deprives government of tax revenue, exposes consumers to unsafe products, and undermines domestic rice producers. Morrison made the call during an appearance on Channel One Newsroom on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
The appeal comes as Ghana’s grain sector faces what CAG describes as a national agricultural emergency. Over 1.2 million metric tonnes of rice, maize, and soya beans remain unsold in warehouses and on farms across the country despite continued import dependence. Local rice production stands at approximately 900,000 metric tonnes while annual consumption reaches nearly 1.9 million metric tonnes.
Morrison maintains that many rice brands currently sold may not have passed through proper regulatory channels. He urged the Ministry of Trade and Industry, together with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Ghana Standards Authority, to authenticate all brands in the marketplace immediately. The presence of unverified and poor quality rice undermines consumer trust, hurts local processors, and worsens the grain glut, a situation where locally produced rice remains unsold because cheap, low quality imports dominate shelves.
The Chamber proposed a coordinated national audit involving the Ghana Revenue Authority, National Security, FDA, and Ghana Standards Authority to verify tax compliance and detect smuggled products. Morrison explained that investigators should identify importers, processors, and brand owners for every rice variety on shelves, then verify whether taxes have been paid. Comparing declared warehouse stock against actual market volumes would reveal those evading taxes or smuggling goods into the country.
The CAG leader said government loses significant import revenue due to undeclared rice shipments. He insisted the exercise must confiscate all brands found to have entered through unapproved routes. “We are calling for a very comprehensive audit of all rice brands on the market,” he stated, adding that authorities should validate all brands, identify importers and processors, and verify branding sources.
Morrison stressed that protecting local farmers represents not only an economic necessity but a matter of national survival. He emphasized that governments and citizens worldwide protect farmers because agricultural viability determines national survival. The agribusiness executive cautioned that Ghana cannot “import itself out of food security,” adding that the country must prioritize producing and consuming locally grown rice. He said Ghanaians must patronize what farmers struggle and toil to produce.
The Chamber has called for a three-month moratorium on rice imports to enable the local market to absorb existing surplus stocks. It also urged establishment of a Strategic Grain Reserve Procurement Programme through the National Food Buffer Stock Company to purchase surplus grains directly from farmers, which would stabilize prices and ensure steady grain supply to poultry, livestock and food processing industries.
The audit call arrives as local rice farmers grapple with massive unsold stocks due to competition from cheaper imports and weak domestic demand. The Chamber previously warned that the oversupply stems from poor market coordination, restrictive policies, and rising imports that have depressed farm gate prices. Large volumes of milled and paddy rice remain unsold partly due to smuggling, expired imports, and weak enforcement of quality standards.
Stakeholders believe proper auditing coupled with stronger enforcement could restore market order, protect local farmers, and help stabilize prices. Morrison framed the issue as one of fairness, food safety, and national pride rather than mere market regulation.