The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has assured poultry farmers that the government is taking urgent steps to address Ghana’s egg glut by restoring exports to Burkina Faso while expanding local egg processing and encouraging Ghanaians to consume more eggs.
Speaking before Parliament’s Government Assurances Committee last Thursday, the minister disclosed that Ghana’s egg exports to Burkina Faso were disrupted after authorities in the neighbouring country seized consignments earlier this year.
According to him, President John Dramani Mahama personally intervened to help resolve the matter and directed officials to engage their Burkinabe counterparts.
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“The President himself intervened and arranged for us to meet with the Burkina Faso authorities to have this matter resolved.”
“We are working as much as possible to ensure that the problem is fixed,” he assured.
Local processing
Beyond reopening the Burkina Faso market, the minister said the government is also focusing on expanding domestic processing capacity to address the egg glut.
He revealed that Ghana currently has two egg processing facilities, but their production capacity is inadequate to absorb the growing supply of eggs.
According to him, the ministry is working with the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL) and other financial institutions to mobilise funding to help processors expand their operations.
He explained that government investments in poultry production have begun yielding positive results, making it necessary to strengthen value addition and processing.
“Now we have seen that we are getting good results from the investment in production. What happens after production is another area that we are concentrating on,” he said.
Superfood
Mr. Opoku also appealed for Ghanaians to increase egg consumption, describing eggs as one of the most nutritious and affordable sources of protein.
He urged the public to disregard long-held cultural beliefs and misconceptions that discourage egg consumption.
“There are a lot of cultures in Ghana where some men do not eat eggs for cultural reasons. Those misconceptions are not true,” he said.
Describing eggs as a “superfood”, the minister said they contain high-quality protein and essential nutrients needed for healthy growth and development.
People without medical restrictions, he said, should feel confident including eggs in their regular diet, while those with specific health conditions should follow medical advice.
Mr. Opoku called on Members of Parliament to support a nationwide public education campaign encouraging Ghanaians to eat more to help absorb the current egg glut and support the country’s poultry industry.