Agri Business

Farmers Earning Lowest In Food Chain; So Sad – Carlos Ahenkorah

The Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry is empathizing with the country’s farmers for “earning the lowest in the food value chain” despite toiling to get the produce out of the soil.

Honorable Carlos Ahenkorah says farmers, despite the vital role they played as food producers earned the least among all the actors in the agric value chain.

The Member of Parliament for Tema West was speaking as Special Guest of Honour when Golden Exotics Limited Banana Farms commissioned a well-furnished three (Chemistry, Physics, Biology) science laboratory project for the Osudoku Senior High School.

“It is very sad that in the agriculture value chain, the lowest earners are the farmers who toil to get the produce out of the soil,” he lamented.

Citing the cocoa sector as example of this challenge, the deputy trade minister said farmers earn less than 6% of the total revenue generated from cocoa produce. “…for example, the cocoa sector contributes over Ghc 100 billion to the country’s revenue and Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire produce 60% of the cocoa raw materials for processors yet farmers don’t earn 6 billion out of this proceed,” he affirmed.

Honorable Carlos Ahenkorah, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry and Member of Parliament for Tema West also applauded Fairtrade for their social support while purchasing products from Ghanaian companies.

He stated that the NPP government through the ministry of trade will push for Fairtrade Premium Benefit as a policy for all investors in the agriculture sector.

The current government is also determined to add value to its basic raw materials before exporting to other countries, he said.

The Tema West MP therefore urged Golden Exotics Limited to explore other market avenues to help expand their production and thereby create more employment opportunities in the country.

The ceremony was graced by Directors of Golden Exotics Limited, DCE for Shai Osudoku, Representative of the British High Commissioner, Team from Sainsbury, Former Trade Minister, Chiefs and Religious leaders, among others.

Source: Joyce Bedeley/ritefmonline.org/jbedeley 9357 @gmail.com

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