NDC will revitalise cotton production, regulate soybean industry – Mahama

Former President John Mahama, Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Election 2024, has said the next NDC government will revitalise the cotton industry to produce up to 100,000 tonnes of cotton per season in Northern Ghana.

He said the next NDC government would also regulate the soybean industry and allow the export of soybeans to ensure increased production and sales.

Former President Mahama said this while addressing a town hall meeting in Tamale on Tuesday.

The meeting was to engage residents of the Tamale Metropolis on the NDC’s agenda as well as solicit the input of various groups in the Metropolis to be considered for implementation if the party assumed power next year.

It was attended by some civil society organisations and traditional authorities as well as provided the platform for leaders of some industries to present their concerns to the NDC Flagbearer, who took turns to address them.

Former President Mahama said the country could generate significant income from cotton production adding Benin and Burkina Faso generated so much from the industry although their lands were not as fertile as that of Ghana.

He said the NDC, under the leadership of late Professor John Evans Atta Mills, relaunched the cotton industry and moved cotton production in the country from 3,000 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes in a season.

He touched on the effects of the restrictions on soybean export on farmers saying soybean farmers were unable to break even after harvesting because the cost of production surpassed the income as prices were extremely low due to the export restrictions.

The NDC Flagbearer said: “Government placed a ban on exporting soybean thinking it will drive the price down to make it affordable for the feed makers but what they do not realise is that if the price goes below the cost of production, then the farmer cannot expand his farm for the next season.”

He promised residents of Tamale a modern abattoir if he assumed office as President indicating that the abattoirs in the region were substandard.

He said the use of tricycles and motorcycles as commercial means of transportation would be legalised to enable their regulation.