Cashew Industry Association holds maiden season launch

Mr. Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuije Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry has said Ghana could increase imports substitution to develop the value and supply chain mechanisms of the raw material sector.

Mr. Vanderpuije said this at the launch and expo of the first ever national cashew season of the Ghana Cashew Industry Association (GCIA) on Thursday held at Wenchi in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

The cashew expo was organised by the Association and jointly sponsored by the West African Market Link (WAML), Africa Cashew Initiative (ACI), Africa Cashew Alliance(ACA), Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (Edaif) and Wenchi Rural Bank.

The programme was on the theme Harnessing the Economic and Climatic Benefits of Cashew; The Strategic Non-Traditional Export Commodity was attended by almost 300 members and stakeholders across the country.

They included Cashew farmers, Buyers, Processors, Experts and Researchers from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) as well as a selected number of Media Practitioners in the Region.

Others were Researchers from some Universities including Methodist University College of Ghana (MUCG) Agricultural Faculty at its Wenchi Campus and Municipal and District Chief Executives (M/DCEs) from Cashew-growing areas in Brong-Ahafo.

Mr. Vanderpuije urged stakeholders in the Cashew Industry to work assiduously, stating that in collaboration with government effectively, the national economy could be moved from the primary production of raw materials to production of finished goods for both local consumption and export.

He noted that this would make the industries like Cashew and others more vibrant to bring higher economic benefits to all players in the various industries and the nation at large.