THE MEAT PROCESSING INDUSTRY IN GHANA

Abstract

A survey was conducted to determine the state of the meat processing industry in Ghana. A total of twenty-four meat processing firms were visited and interviewed with structured questionnaires. Small-scale, labour-intensive enterprises were the majority (83.3%) of firms. Pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens and guinea fowls which were obtained from sources such as the processor's own farm, local livestock farmers and commercial farms were the main species processed. A total of forty-six different processed products were being manufactured and marketed readily. A major bottleneck in the industry is the high cost and irregular supply of animals which are sometimes of low quality. Meat processing is serving as a reliable market for livestock farmers. The future of the industry appears bright, however, it may require a more reliable source of inputs supply to sustain it.