File photo of crates of eggs
The Chief Executive Officer of Boris B’s Farms & Veterinary Supplies Ghana Ltd, Mr Boris Baidoo, has issued an urgent call to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to intensify border surveillance to curb the rampant smuggling of eggs from Côte d’Ivoire into Ghana.
Mr Baidoo lamented that the illegal practice is significantly troubling and adversely affecting the domestic poultry industry.
Speaking in an interview on the “Frontline” programme on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Mr Baidoo stated that the smuggling is particularly rampant in the Bibiani area.
He appealed directly to immigration officers to be on high alert to prevent individuals from using Ghanaian borders to illegally transport and import eggs.
He emphasised to host Kwabena Agyapong that Ghanaian producers possess the necessary capacity to meet the domestic demand for eggs and, therefore, cannot afford to allow smugglers to undermine the local market.
”I want to appeal to customs officers to intensify their work to prevent smugglers from bringing eggs into Ghana from Côte d’Ivoire,” Mr Baidoo urged. “The poultry industry in Ghana is capable of producing the eggs Ghanaians can consume, and so we cannot entertain this unlawful incident. We have taken steps in dealing with the matter as a poultry industry, but we are also appealing to authorities to deal with the matter.”
The CEO, who also serves as the Vice President of the Poultry Farmers Association, further raised concerns about foreign nationals, specifically Chinese retailers, who have reportedly entered the Ghanaian market and are engaging in retail trade, depriving Ghanaian retailers of their livelihoods.
He pointed out that the law strictly requires these foreign entities to engage only in wholesaling, not retailing.
”One major challenge we have discovered is that these Chinese nationals are engaged in retailing. The law requires them to do only wholesaling. We are therefore appealing to the Trade and Industry Minister and the allied agencies responsible for the industry to strictly enforce the law. We have to regulate the industry in accordance with the law so that these foreigners don’t take over the retail segment meant for Ghanaians,” he stated.
Mr Baidoo also advised Ghanaians who may be fronting for foreigners to violate local trade laws to immediately desist from the practice, as it is severely impacting the industry and enabling foreigners, especially the Chinese, to seize control of the retail market.
Addressing the disparity in pricing, Mr Baidoo indicated that the Chinese are able to sell their eggs at lower prices due to favourable interest rates on business loans and other incentives available to them.
He appealed to the government to create a stable business environment with better incentives for local enterprises.
”We acknowledge that this government is doing its best; however, we are appealing to them to do more for the business market because Ghanaian poultry farmers have what it takes to produce organic chicken and eggs for the Ghanaian market,” he concluded.
