President Nana Akufo-Addo has highlighted the importance of cashew production to the Ghanaian economy.
According to the president, cashew, together with other selected crops, can create wealth and jobs for Ghanaians.
Mr Akufo-Addo, who launched the new 10-year development plan for the cashew industry in the Brong Ahafo Region on Tuesday, 20 February 2018, said: “This, together with other programmes of other selected export crops, will drive industrialisation in rural Ghana, diversify agricultural products and provide the needed jobs for the teeming masses of unemployed youth of this country”.
The plan will take into account government support for the country’s cashew industry and the required infrastructure for the sector.
It also seeks to improve research methods, introduce appropriate production and processing technologies as well as develop marketing strategies along the value chain
Ghana’s cashew industry, which produces between 50,000 and 70,000 metric tonnes annually, currently employs more than 3000 farmers.
Mr Akufo-Addo urged industry players to capitalise on the opportunities in the value chain of the crop and make it beneficial to farmers.
“I will urge the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) to incorporate in this plan policies and interventions that will create additional businesses and job opportunities in the areas of storage, transport and packaging of cashew, which will ensure that our cashew farmers earn higher income,” the president said.
He assured the public of government’s commitment to the implementation of the plan in addition to other programmes to propel the growth of the cashew industry.
Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com