Agro-processing projects lead 1D1F coming on stream this year

Agro-processing sector is clearly leading with a total of 102 projects out of estimated 183 that are expected to be commissioned before the close of the year under the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative.

This was revealed when the Ministry of Trade and Industry took its turn during this year’s Ghana Industrial Summit and Exhibition (GISE) organized under the auspices of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) last week aimed at strengthening Ghanaian industries for global competitiveness.

Instructively, this initiative largely depicts the nature of Ghana’s economy which is an agrarian one with much emphasis being placed on the sector by government and the private sector to increase agro-processed products.

Importantly, the coming on stream of these agro-processing factories will generate significant value addition to the raw agricultural produce. This is expected to rake in extra revenue for all actors in the supply chain as the produce will no longer be transported onto both the local and international markets in its raw state. Such produce includes pineapple, rice, maize, soybean among others.

The remaining sectorial divisions that are expected to have a share of the 1DIF projects include manufacturing – with 41 projects; meat processing – nine projects; together with primary agriculture processing and other projects with seven and 24 projects respectively.

In all, 183 projects are expected to be ready for commissioning by the close of the year with 131 of them being newly established factories as against 52 already existing companies which are joining the initiative to secure finance to expand their operations.

Currently, 15 projects under the 1D1F initiative have been commissioned while another 19 of them are being monitored by the Ministry of Trade and Industry for possible commissioning in the coming weeks.