He added that within the same period, the country also imported the following foods;

Fish - GH?3.993 billion

Chicken (processed) - GH?1.881 billion

Meat - GH?487 million

Vegetables - GH?281million

Poultry - GH?184 million

The Minister made the disclosure when he appeared before Parliament to respond to a question by Mr Murtala Muhammed Ibrahim, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central on how much the state spent on the importation of rice and other foodstuffs into the country over the past four years.

Replying to another question about whether the government has lifted a ban on small rice importers, Mr Kyeremanten said rice was a staple food in Ghana and as such one had to maintain a delicate balance between the quantity of rice produced locally and what was imported to ensure that there were no serious shortages.

Mr Kyeremanten stressed that the government has not lifted the ban imposed on the small rice importers but the Ministry has a management policy to ensure that there were no shortages in the system.

He explained that the Ministry would review its position on rice imports when there was significant local rice production in the country.