Finance Minister reaffirms government’s rice quota policy to increase local consumption

Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has reaffirmed that rice importers may be required to purchase 50 percent of locally produced rice before permitted to import the remaining 50 percent to encourage consumption of riced produced in Ghana. He explained that the proposed policy forms part of measures to reduce Ghana’s reliance on imported rice, secure markets for local farmers and encourage domestic production.

Dr. Forson was engaging students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) community ahead of the 2027 budget themed “New Economy”. “If you want to bring rice into the country, no problem. But if you are to bring in let’s say 100,000 metric tons of rice, you have to show evidence that you have bought from our farmers 50,000 metric tons of rice before we give you the amendment to bring those rice into the country”, he stressed.

He stated that it is time for government to pursue practical measures to protect the agricultural sector and Ghanaian farmers. He disclosed that as part of requirements, public procurement under government policy to purchase food to feed students in Senior High School (SHS) will be purchased from Ghanaian producers. He questioned why local rice farmers continued to struggle to secure markets despite the government’s annual expenditure of approximately GH¢4.5 billion to GH¢5 billion on the Free SHS programme, of which about GH¢3.5 billion goes towards feeding students. 2027 Budget The Finance Minister is scheduled to present the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament at 6 pm on Thursday, November 12, 2026.

The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin disclosed this on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, saying he had approved a request by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson for the presentation to take place in the evening. “I granted the Minister for Finance that the budget, which is to be presented on Thursday, to be presented in the evening. And he gave good reasons why he wants it to be presented in the evening,” Mr Bagbin said.

Mr Bagbin said Parliament would adjust its sitting schedule to ensure members were not fatigued before the Finance Minister’s presentation. He indicated that the House was likely to begin sitting at about 6 pm to accommodate the event. “So on Thursday we will definitely adjust so that members don’t sit too early so that by the time he comes you’re already fatigued.

And so Parliament may sit on Thursday around 6:00 p.m. so that we can prepare for his attendance,” he said.