Coffee sector must be industrialized properly – Coffee farmers tell government

The Coffee Federation of Ghana has stated that industrializing the coffee sector will provide the youth with enormous opportunities and there must be a clear-cut industrial policy for it.

Speaking to the President of the Federation, Chief Nathaniel EboNsarko, he said the government must put into action all the promises it made to the sector, adding that the coffee farmers are targeting revenue of two billion cedis by 2030.

“We have the arable lands and yet some few people are playing with the lives of several thousand farmers. We call on the government to approve the coffee regulations. We submitted it two years ago and we’re still looking forward to receiving the government’s signature.” He said.

“We are willing to support them to reclaim some of the lands we lost to “galamsey” for coffee. We also call on the government to increase investment in the coffee subsector as this could create over 500,000 jobs across the value chain,” he added.

The farmers’ representative on the federation, Dr Dickson Boateng, has also called on the government to support the industry with equipment and farm inputs to be able to feed the coffee processors adequately.

“The farmers need some tools. During harvesting times, we need some mixed blowers, insecticides, sacks and if possible, hauling machines. The cocoa industry has people who go around spraying; such are the things that we need during harvesting times,” he said.

Meanwhile, President of Coffee Buyers and Exporters Association, Kwame Adu Tawiah, has said that there should be a clear system where coffee farmers are made aware of their regulatory body in the sector to assist them when the need be.

“Everything centred on coffee should be developed by its board just like the federation that we have set. And if we’re going to put coffee under COCOBOD, the board has its priorities on cocoa; So, who is going to develop the coffee sector?,” he lamented.

Coffee is a viable cash crop that thrives where cocoa grows and even on lands cocoa cannot grow on.

The Federation is holding President Akuffo-Addo to a statement he made at the Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO) conference where he assured that the coffee sector will be revamped.