CANR study urges integration of local poultry into imported chicken supply chain

A study from the Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources shows that Ghana’s poultry industry remains challenged, contributing just 10% to the country’s chicken supply.

High production costs, limited investment, and cheaper imports have weakened the local industry, forcing Ghana to rely heavily on foreign chicken.

 According to the research, this trend not only depletes foreign reserves but also worsens unemployment.

Published in the Journal of Cogent Food and Agriculture, the study analyzed data from 22 importers, 44 wholesalers, and 117 retailers.

It found that imported chicken is priced up to 25% lower than locally produced chicken, making it difficult for domestic farmers to compete.

While government initiatives such as the Ghana Broiler Revitalization Project have sought to address these challenges, domestic output remains insufficient.

The research further revealed that distributors are willing to accept Ghanaian chicken into their supply chains, but only if prices are kept within 10% of imported products.

At this threshold, retailers and wholesalers indicated readiness to devote about 22% and 21% of their storage space, respectively, to local poultry.

The study recommends that National Association of Poultry armers collaborate with the Cold Operators Association of Ghana to secure access to the frozen supply chain.

 It also advises farmers to target manageable market segments, while calling on investors to improve infrastructure and ensure competitive pricing.