KOA employs 250 people, 10,000 smallholder cocoa farmers - Trade Minister

Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond, has noted that the newly inaugurated Ghanaian-Swiss start-up, KOA Impact Ghana Limited, has employed 250 people.

He stated that the company aims at expanding to 10,000 smallholder cocoa farmers to enable them reduce on-farm food waste in the cocoa value chain.

K.T Hammond said the roping in of these smallholder farmers will generate additional additional income for them.

Speaking at the Ghana Industrial Summit and Exhibition (GISE) 2023 under the theme “Industrialization Through Sustainable and Efficient Supply Chains”, the trade minister said the cocoa pulp processing factory is located in Akim Achiase in the Eastern region.

The $10 million factory will convert cocoa pulp into higher quality and value products such as fruit juices.

He said, "I had the privilege to inaugurate Ghana’s manufacturing facility at Akim-Achiase in the Eastern Region. It is a cocoa pulp processing factory located in Akim Achiase to convert the otherwise wasted cocoa pulp into value-added products such as fruit juices and new unique ingredients for the food and beverage industry including chocolates, confectionery products, ice cream and drinks."

"In addition to the juices and cocoa products produced and exported, it is gratifying to note that, the factory employs 250 persons and intends to expand to 10,000 smallholder cocoa farmers enabling them to reduce on-farm food waste in the cocoa value chain and generate additional income for farmers," the trade minister added.

K.T Hammond expressed gratitude to the private sector for keeping faith with government’s vision of industrialisation since 2017.



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