OIL palm outgrowers urged to work harder
Oil palm outgrowers have been urged to work harder to meet the shortfall in the supply of crude palm oil for local consumption. A Director at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Mr Seth Osei Akoto, who made the call, said the total deficit gap in local consumption was between 35,000 and 50,000 metric tonnes.
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At the Annual General Meeting of the Oil Palm Outgrowers Association (OPOA) at Twifo Ntafrawaso, Mr Akoto, therefore, challenged the outgrowers as key stakeholders to ensure increased farm sizes to help achieve that goal.
He said the goal of the ministry was to create an enabling environment for sustainable growth of the agriculture sector and agriculture-related businesses.
He pledged that the ministry would continue to support oil palm farmers with technical support to enable them to expand their farms and increase output.
Oil palm potential
Mr Akoto noted that the oil palm sector had the potential to generate employment for many more Ghanaians, while ensuring food security.
He said oil palm remained the most important cash crop after cocoa and urged the farmers to support efforts to optimise the potential of the crop for national development.
OPOA
The President of OPOA, Mr T.K. Biney, appealed for prompt payment of their produce from buyers. The occasion was also used to inaugurate a credit union for the association.
It has as its interim executives Mr Godfred Osei Bonsu as Chairman, Mr Richard Gyan, Vice Chairman, Mr Joseph Aidoo Odoom as Secretary, Mr Paul Kofi Adade, Treasurer, and Mr T. K. Biney as member.
Credit Union
The Central Regional Manager of the Credit Unions Association, Mr Samuel Annor, commended them for forming the first farmers’ credit union in the country.
He said the union would help members fight the scourge of poverty and advised them to be committed to the union.