Government moves to absorb excess paddy rice through nationwide milling programme

The government has initiated procurement processes with rice millers across the country to mill excess paddy rice from farmers, a step expected to enable the National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited NAFCO to purchase the rice after processing.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture says the intervention follows growing concerns from rice farmers over the lack of a ready market for surplus paddy, a situation that has led to a glut in several rice-producing areas.

Speaking during a working visit as part of his tour of the Kpong Irrigation Scheme on Thursday January 22, 2026, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, explained that the challenge arises from NAFCO’s procurement policy, which focuses on milled rice rather than paddy.

“The only challenge we are facing now has to do with paddy because the National Food Buffer Stock Company is not procuring paddy. They are procuring milled rice,” Mr Opoku said.

He stated that government is therefore stepping in to support rice millers by making resources available to enable them to buy paddy from farmers, process it and supply the milled rice to NAFCO.

“We want to empower the millers, make resources available to them to buy the paddy, do the milling and then supply Buffer Stock,” the minister explained.

Mr Opoku added that, in line with procurement procedures, NAFCO has advertised for interested millers and other stakeholders to participate in the process, which he said is nearing completion.

“As of last week, when they briefed me, the procurement process was almost complete and within the shortest possible time, aggregators will be sent to the various enclaves to commence the purchase of these excesses,” he noted.

The deployment of aggregators to major rice producing areas is expected to ease market pressures, stabilise farmgate prices and reduce post harvest losses, offering timely relief to farmers affected by the current surplus.