Ghana produces 28.5 million metric tonnes of major food crops in 2011

Ghana increased its production of eight major food crops to 28,558,000 metric tonnes (MT) at the end of 2011, statistics released by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) on May 15, 2012 has shown.

The eight crops were cassava, yam, plantain, cocoyam, maize, sorghum, millet and rice.

Production output for these crops in 2010 was 27,310,000MT, the figures showed meaning 2011 recorded an increase of 1,248,000MT.
Cassava recorded the highest production in 2011 with 14,724,000MT, followed by yam 6,295,000MT and plantain 3,620,000MT.

The others cocoyam, maize, sorghum recorded 1,300,000MT; 1,684,000MT and 287,000MT respectively while the rest were millet (184,000MT) and Rice (464,000MT).

The MoFA report indicated that cassava production increased from 11.4 million MT in 2008 to 14.7 million MT in 2011, representing a 29% growth of production.

Maize production also rose from 1.5 million MT in 2008 to 1.7 million MT at the end of 2011.  The increase of 200,000 MT represents 12% growth in maize production, the Ministry said.

By Ekow Quandzie