For many Ghanaian farmers, lack of value addition has been a
major challenge to their business and the effects of it have always been very
expensive.
In times that there are glut, there are very few options
left for the farmer to manage to break even not even to talk about profit as
middle men take advantage of the situation to robe the farmers of their produce
at ridiculous prices.
But for ginger farmers in the Jasikan district in the Volta
Region, luck might soon shine on their business as measures are being
instituted to permanently address the issue of glut and lack of market for
their produce.
Efforts by a private investor to establish ginger processing
factory in the district has reached advanced stage and comes as good news to
residents especially those engaged in the ginger production and positive sign
to economic development in the district.
Speaking to Ghanadistricts.com, the District Chief Executive,
Killian Abrampah Kwame said ginger production is a major farming business to
the people in the district because of the soil type. He said residents have
been engaged in this business for ages but most of them have very little to
show because of marketing problems that makes it difficult for them to make the
required profits to boost their economy.
He indicated that machines for the factory are being
fabricated in Ghana and are about 95% complete waiting to be conveyed to the
area. “Two acre plot of land has been acquired for this purpose. Unfortunately
the extended rainfall this year is delaying site preparation for the project”
the DCE added.
“When this factory comes on stream, there would be ready
market for the farmers and they would have reasons to increase their farms. A
lot more people would also be employed and poverty would be reduced. More importantly, the assembly would also
reap some benefits by way of revenue”, he added.
He said the assembly is thus giving the necessary support to
the investor to ensure the project comes on board.
According to him, the factory to be sited at Guaman would
also be beneficial to ginger farmers in the Kadjebi District, one of the ginger
growing areas in the region.
About 80 percent of ginger produced in the district would
find its way into the factory to be processed into various forms including
dried, powdered, or as a juice, capsules, paste or oil.
Aside being a spice, ginger has a lot of medicinal values.
It is used on large scales by beverage companies, pharmaceutical companies, in
confectioneries among others. In manufacturing, ginger is used as fragrance in
soaps and cosmetics.
Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com dormant
No comments:
Post a Comment