Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Atta has said a General shortage in the food supply is anticipated if the pandemic COVID-19 is intensified.
He noted that this could lead to inflation in food prices, especially rice, bread, poultry and other meat products, vegetables, sugar, and other commodities.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Mr. Ken Ofori Atta though the impact on agriculture may not be severe, since agriculture does not require significant imported intermediate goods, growth could still be a slow-down as a result of disruptions in the supply chain and lower demand activities.
The Minister said Disruptions could limit farmers’ access to inputs, such as seeds, fertilizers, and insecticides, uncertainty, and fear could negatively impact planting decisions; and also a reduction in the volume of main agricultural exports, as a result of the general downturn in global economic activity due to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Agric Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has said: “There is enough food in the system; people do not need to stock up because this is not a war situation”.
He told the citizenry that it is needless rushing to stock food amid the two-week partial lockdown of Greater Accra and Kumasi since Ghana is not at war and there is enough food for everyone.
At a press briefing on Monday, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said “We are talking about just two weeks and if we are successful with what we want to do, within two weeks, we will be back to normal”, he said.
“There is no need to stock up”, he stressed, adding: “If there was not enough in the system and we had to wait for imports, then I would have said you would have to cover yourself and the family but there is no need because we have more than enough to feed the people of this country.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Kofi Atakora
