Soyabean Group to petition Parliament over Export Committee composition

Mr Yaw Afrifa, Executive Secretary of the Soya Value Chain Association of Ghana (SVCAG) says the association has resolved to petition the Legal Committee of Parliament over the composition of the Export Control Committee.

He said the petition, as a matter of urgency, would call for a reconstitution of the committee that controlled the new “Restrictions on Exportation of Grains Regulations 2022, backed by Legislative Instrument (LI) 2467 to give access and control of the committee to actors within the value chain.”

He said this at a stakeholder consultative forum in Tamale.
The forum, which brought together stakeholders in the soya value chain from the five regions in the north, was to deliberate on the challenges pertaining to low soyabean prices and access to farm inputs.

It was on the theme: “Structuring Operations for a Sustainable Trade Facilitation within the Soya Value Chain in Ghana.”

Mr Afrifa said the Export Control Committee must be reviewed explaining that the soya value chain must get access and control to the committee as it was intended to assist people in the value chain.

He said “The committee the SVCAG called for has been hijacked by others. The Chairman is the Chief Director of Ministry of Trade and Industry and we do not see the faces of committee members. They do not have any interaction with the association.”

He said, “The association did a position paper asking for a change in the committee and made follow ups to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Trade and Industry. We were told our request could only be granted by the Legal Committee of Parliament.”

He noted that SVCAG advocated for export control measure and support for local processors to be able to purchase soyabean, adding that the control measure in place without credit to processors gave exporters an upper hand over local processor.

Mr Afrifa said, “There is seemingly a ban and exporters are taking advantage of it. They buy soyabeans below crop budget with the excuse that there is a ban on export making the prices of soya bean exceptionally low.”

He reiterated that soyabean was sold at GH¢400 against the crop budget, which was GH¢550 as of last year.

He called on the government to expedite action on the development of the National Strategy plan that would serve as the blueprint for government and all stakeholders in the value chain.

Mr Randy Selase Senior Hale, North East Regional Soya Value Chain Chairman, speaking at the event, said the SVCAG yearned for the growth of the value chain.

He likened the soyabeans to cocoa and said investment in soyabean and the value chain would attract income to government.