A growing trade crisis is hitting Dormaa Ahenkro hard, as poultry farmers and egg exporters are calling on the government to urgently step in over an ongoing export ban from neighbouring Burkina Faso.
For the past three months, Ghanaian eggs have been blocked from entering Burkina Faso, a situation that farmers say is crippling businesses and threatening livelihoods in one of the country’s biggest egg-producing areas.
At a tense press conference, farmer and traditional leader Baafour Atosi Ababio described the situation as devastating.
“Dormaa has built its reputation on egg production, but today that success story is under threat.
“Our exports have been halted, and in some cases, eggs sent across the border are being destroyed,” he said
According to him, the concerns from Burkina Faso are linked to Ghana’s 2015 outbreak of avian influenza.
However, he pointed out that the lack of an official government report confirming that the disease was fully contained is still raising doubts about the safety of Ghanaian eggs.
He is now urging the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other relevant agencies to quickly release a formal report to clear the air and rebuild confidence in Ghana’s poultry products. Without that, he warned, the industry could face even deeper losses, or worse.
The President of the Association, Sylvester Asante, also called on the government to directly engage Burkina Faso and resolve the issue as soon as possible.
He stressed the need for clear and structured export procedures going forward and suggested independent testing of eggs from Dormaa by recognised food safety bodies.
“The results must be officially communicated to Burkina Faso to assure them that our eggs meet all health standards,” he said.
Nana Adoma Yeboaa, an executive member of the association and a traditional leader, also warned that the crisis is already creating a social problem, especially for young people.
She explained that the egg trade used to support many youths who worked in loading, packaging, and transporting eggs. Since the export ban, those opportunities have dried up, leaving many without income and putting pressure on families.
“This is no longer just about trade, it is about livelihoods and the future of our young people,” she said.
She also made a direct appeal to President John Dramani Mahama, urging swift action to prevent the situation from escalating into a broader social crisis driven by unemployment.
