Rice sellers encourage Ghanaians to enjoy Christmas with local rice
Some local rice sellers in Tema and Nungua have called on Ghanaians to prioritise the purchase of locally grown rice during the festive season.
According to them, patronising local rice would support Ghanaian farmers and ensure fresh and healthy meals for families during Christmas celebrations.
In an interview, they told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that Ghanaian rice had significantly improved in recent years, with farmers adopting better cultivation methods and milling processes to meet consumer demands.
Madam Stella Adu, a local rice seller in Nungua, encouraged consumers to explore the different varieties of local rice, which include fragrant white rice and the popular brown rice, which offers additional nutritional benefits.
Ms Cecilia Narh, another local rice seller, said that many markets and stores across the country now stock local rice, making it more accessible to consumers, and that “local rice is fresh, nutritious, and free from excessive preservatives, unlike some imported brands.”
Ms Angelina Madam Mensah, a seller in Tema, acknowledged challenges facing the local rice industry, including limited public awareness and the perception that imported rice was of higher quality.
She urged the government and stakeholders to intensify campaigns promoting locally produced rice to change public perception.
“We need more public education on the benefits of local rice; the government should also invest in our farmers to produce more quality rice. When people see that local rice is also better than imported brands, they will embrace it wholeheartedly,” she said.
Some consumers of local rice stated that local rice was a great choice for the festive season.
Mr Kwaku Yengbe stated, “I’ve been buying local rice for years now, and I can say it’s the best; it’s affordable and tastes amazing. I buy it from the North, and one thing I like about it is that it takes time before spoiling, unlike the imported ones. We must all try and buy the local rice for Christmas celebrations.”
Some consumers, however, advocated increased government investments in the local rice industry, emphasising the need for enhanced branding, improved consistency, and formal registration with regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to ensure confidence in the product.
They said local rice producers could enhance their marketability and competitiveness against imported varieties when branded and gone through the right process, stating that investing in the local rice industry would help create employment opportunities, reduce the country’s import bill, and contribute to economic growth.
Source: GNA