The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, says Ghana has started exporting eggs to Burkina Faso as the government explores ways to address a sustained surplus in domestic production.

He said the exports followed negotiations with Burkina Faso after President John Mahama directed him and the Minister for Trade to secure access to the neighbouring country’s market.

According to Mr Opoku, the delegation encountered more than 20 trucks loaded with eggs at the border during the negotiations, and clearance was subsequently granted for the trucks to enter Burkina Faso.

“Immediately after our negotiations, they allowed all of them to enter; and since then, Ghana has been exporting eggs to Burkina Faso,” he said.

However, the Minister said the exports were insufficient to absorb the surplus, prompting the government to consider additional measures to expand the domestic market.

He said his ministry is working with the Minister for Education to implement the President’s directive to include eggs in meals served under the School Feeding Programme.

The Minister made the remarks during an inspection of a poultry, meat and feed processing facility under construction at Bechem in the Ahafo region.

He said the facility would have two processing lines, one for broilers and another for layers, with a combined capacity of 6,000 birds per hour.

To ensure a steady supply of birds, Mr Opoku said the government plans to establish contractual arrangements with poultry farmers in the Ashanti, Upper East and surrounding regions, under which the factory will purchase and process their output for the market.

The facility will also include three cold rooms, a feed mill and a hatchery to support production and improve the sustainability of the poultry programme.

Mr Opoku said the hatchery will produce birds for distribution to farmers, who would in turn supply the processing facility.

The government is also procuring two trucks to distribute the factory’s packaged and branded products to the market.

He disclosed that work on the project was approximately 50 per cent complete, adding that all outstanding certificates had been paid despite earlier delays.

According to Mr Opoku, the contractor has assured the government that the facility will be completed and become operational by the end of the first quarter of 2027.