FINATRADE and MiDA to increase rice production in the country

Accra, Jan. 22, GNA - FINATRADE, a private rice exporting company, in collaboration with Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) are embarking on a comprehensive plan to increase local rice production in the country. In addition to purchasing their produce, they would provide inputs, credit facilities, processors and field assistance to rice farmers. Mr. John Awuni, Corporate Affairs Director of FINATRADE GROUP, announced this when receiving the first consignment of 761 bags of 'TOGO MARSHAL' perfumed rice from 58 farmers the two institutions assisted to produce rice in Hohoe in the Volta Region. He said RiceMaster, a subsidiary company of FINATRADE GROUP, would receive similar quantities of rice from the farmers on weekly basis this year.

Mr. Awuni said FINATRADE would in addition improve its assistance to rice farmers from Ghana Rice Growers Association, Dawhenya Rice Farmers Cooperative Group and Afife and Kpong Rice farmers in the Volta Region. He said the company would soon launch a campaign to increase the production of 'Red Rice' which is highly nutritious and called for an effective partnership between the company and government to achieve the objective of increasing local rice production by 30 per cent by the end of the year.

Mr. Awuni said he was disappointment at the low production rate in some areas where the company assisted farmers and urged them to adhere strictly to technical advice offered by extension officers to help increase rice production in the country. "The perennial problem of inability of local farmers to meet demand is being manifested. We were expecting 20,000 bags of rice, but so far received only 761," he said. 22 Jan. 10