Farmers Day: Ava Coconut wins national best agro-processor award

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), has awarded Sekondi-Takoradi-based agro-processing firm, GKV investment Limited, as National Best Agro Processor at the 2020 National Farmers Day Award Ceremony held at Techiman in the Bono East Region.

Managing Director of GCK Investment, producers of Ava Virgin Coconut Oil, Kojo Nunoo, who is a member of the Coconut Federation of Ghana (COFAG), said the company employs state-of-the-art technology to produce high quality premium products for both the local and international markets.

He urged Ghanaians to patronise made in Ghana manufactured products to encourage local producers to invest in their production processes to enable them satisfy market demands.

Agribusiness firm, Seir Coconut Production Group was also adjudged the best Farm Based Organisation in the Birim South District of the Eastern Region.

Chief Executive Officer of the company, William Addo, who is a beneficiary of the Government of Ghana Coconut Revitalization Programme, was presented with a citation and farming equipment during the 2020 Farmers Day and Agri Fair held at Akim Atuntumirem.

Speaking to Lord Kweku Sekyi, Mr. Addo, expressed appreciation to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), for supporting coconut farmers with improved seeds to boost production across the country.

He said the coconut industry, if well harnessed, can create thousands of job opportunities to help reduce Ghana's high rate of youth unemployment.

He encouraged owners of businesses in the coconut value chain to join the Coconut Federation of Ghana (COFAG) and participate in key industry events such as the International Coconut Festival, which was first held in Accra in October 2019 to promote coconut business in Ghana.

The Government of Ghana added coconut into the National Tree Crop Development Authority (NTCDA), which was established in 2019 and mandated to develop and regulate production, processing, marketing and export of coconut and other selected tree crops.

Ghana ranked 14th on the list of the world's top coconut producers with 383,960 metric tonnes produced in 2017 alone according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Corporate Statistical Database for the year 2017.