The amount of rice imported decreased substantially for the first quarter of this year compared to what came in for the last quarter of 2009. Projections for the second quarter also seem to suggest an even bigger decline. This is according to figures secured by Joy Business from the major rice importers. The figures indicate that 42 thousand tones of the cereal were imported in the first quarter as against 69 thousand in the previous quarter. This however represents rice that legally came through the ports and may not necessarily represent rice that entered the country from other countries. Traders Joy Business spoke to in the market believe there is a lot of rice being smuggled into the country because local producers are not yet in a position to meet the country’s demand. The smuggling also means that though it significantly reduces prices on the market, government is losing a lot of the revenue it would have otherwise earned if the rice had come in legally. The general decline of rice import may come across as good news especially if the country’s farmers are making up for the shortfall or the Ghanaian is developing a taste for the locally grown cereal. Head of Corporate Affairs at commodity trading firm Finatrade Group, the leading importers of rice, John Awuni has however attributed the increased smuggling to the rather high taxes and import duties imposed by government in recent times. Source: Joy Business/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana