Broiler Revitalization Project to Boost Corn in Ghana
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Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa with a population of 32.9 million. Ghana’s domestic Corn production for MY2023/24 is forecast high at 3.6 MMT, an increase of about 20 percent below the MY2022/23 estimate of 3.05 MMT. Corn production in Ghana is predominantly rainfall dependent, and a favorable weather forecast announced by the Ghana Meteorological Agency compared to the preceding year has made most Corn farmers confident of good yields in the MY2023/24 cropping season. The MY2022/23 high price recorded by Corn has induced Corn farmers who shifted to legumes production to return to Corn production.
Harvested area for MY2023/24 has been forecast at 1.26 million HA, representing a five percent increase from the MY2022/23 estimate. The use of improved seeds is expected to lessen the effect of insufficient fertilizer application and the lack of it, in some cases, on yields. Corn is grown in all regions of Ghana. The top-five production regions in descending order are Eastern, Ashanti, Bono East, Ahafo, and Northern.
Corn is grown once per year in the country’s north, planting in June and harvesting from August through October. Farmers in the south of the country usually crop Corn twice per year, planting in March/April and harvesting in August/September during the primary growing season. Minor season planting is generally done in August/September and harvesting in December/January.
The consumption forecast for Corn is slightly lowered at 3.42 MMT in MY2023/24, an increase of about 1.50 percent from the MY2022/23 estimate of 3.37 MMT. Corn is the most critical cereal in Ghana and remains the number one staple food. Per capita consumption of Corn was estimated at 82 kg per year in MY2022/23. Over the years, human consumption of Corn has faced increasing competition from the poultry sector.
Estimates from industry analysts suggest that human consumption constitutes about 85 percent of domestic Corn production, and livestock accounts for the remaining 15 percent. Corn prices continue to rise, but there has been a steady price increase for almost all staples in Ghana due to various economic shocks in recent years. Consumption demand for Corn is thus expected to be restored to the usual pattern in line with population growth and the GOG’s poultry revitalization initiative.
Ending Stocks for MY2023/24 are forecast at 582,000 MT, an increase of about 87 percent compared to Post’s MY2022/23 estimate of 312,000 MT. The growth is mainly due to the increased domestic production forecast.
Corn Trade in Ghana
Ghana’s MY2023/24 Corn imports are forecast at 100,000 MT, unchanged from the MY2022/23 estimate. This is due to the expected increase in domestic production. The imported Corn is primarily used for feed. The GOG regulates Corn imports, and an import permit is required. Significant suppliers of Corn to Ghana are Argentina, South Africa, Brazil, the United States, Thailand, India, and Côte d’Ivoire. Argentina shipped 32,900 tons of Corn to Ghana in 2022, followed by South Africa (1,405 tons), Brazil (208 tons), and the United States (120 tons).
Exports of Corn are mainly to neighboring countries but are now banned. Industry sources, however, note that the trend of significant purchases of Corn by aggregators from neighboring countries persists. Exports are thus forecast at 10,000 MT in MY2023/24, unchanged from the MY2022/23 estimate. Traders (especially farmers) prefer selling to aggregators from the neighboring countries because they offer better prices for the Corn and offer to provide shelling service at no cost, in addition to saving the farmer transportation cost of conveying the produce to the markets.
Other sources: USDA
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