Minister calls for investment in manufacturing sector

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• GHFUO, BE SERIOUS NOT PRIDEFUL! 12 years ago

  WHY FACTORIES ONLY IN THE in the agro-processing industry in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Central regions? PALM OIL BUSINE$$
  SO CANT THE REGIONAL MINISTER AND GH GOVT OF THESE PALM OIL PRODUCING
  AREAS. PRODUCE F ...
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  WHY FACTORIES ONLY IN THE in the agro-processing industry in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Central regions? PALM OIL BUSINE$$
  SO CANT THE REGIONAL MINISTER AND GH GOVT OF THESE PALM OIL PRODUCING
  AREAS. PRODUCE FACTORIES, BETTER, MODERN EQUIPMNT. THAT IS LESS PHYSICALLY
  DEMANDING AND ENDURING AND CAN PRODUCE BETTER, FASTER PALM OIL NOT ONLY FOR GHFUO, BUT FOREIGN EXPORT
  AS WELL? THE MALAYSIANS HAVE BETTER FACTORIES AND EQUIPMNT. THE CASH DERIVED. FROM PALM OIL, NSA FUFUO CAN BE USED FOR DEVELOPMNTAL PROJECTS IN THESE AREAS. THE GH GOVT MUST CONTACT RAMON ANG, PRESIDENT OF SAN MIGUEL CORP IN THE PHILLIPINES. WE ARE SLEEPING IN GH, JOKER$!
  HE CAN ADVICE AND HELP GH WITH AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE, OIL EXPLORATION, ROAD, RAIL PROJECTS. VERY INTELLIGENT MAN
  
  
  OPEN GUTTERS IN GH
  IDIOTS. COVER THE OPEN GUTTERS IN GH? COVER ALL THE GUTTERS SO PPL DONT THROW TRASH IN THEM.
  SO YOU DONT PAY PPL TO TAKE SHOVELS TO DIG THEM OFF TRASH. MOSQUITO BREEDING. OKO VANDERPUYE THAT VILLAGER SAYS HE USED TO LIVE IN NEW YORK.
  DID HE EVER SEE ANY OPEN, MOSQUITO BREEDING GUTTERS OVER THERE? OUR SO CALLED MONKEY LEADERS HVE CHIMP BRAINS. EVER HEARD OF MANHOLES?

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• km agyin 12 years ago

  Why are we in the habit of looking to foreign investors and not build capacity of local investors? Time for a change in thinking.

  Why are we in the habit of looking to foreign investors and not build capacity of local investors? Time for a change in thinking.

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• Obi 12 years ago

  Which industry can thrive when there is dumsor dumsor, you have to import water, criminals want bribe to push papers, the most corrupt institutions are the police, the judiciary and parliament ? Be dreaming.. You think invest ...
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  Which industry can thrive when there is dumsor dumsor, you have to import water, criminals want bribe to push papers, the most corrupt institutions are the police, the judiciary and parliament ? Be dreaming.. You think investors think like you

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• PAA KWESI 12 years ago

  How were the selection of Ghanaian civil servant made to travel to Singapore. Let us learn to do things on our own and develop base on our culture. we can do well if we learn to concentrate on how to improve the system rather ...
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  How were the selection of Ghanaian civil servant made to travel to Singapore. Let us learn to do things on our own and develop base on our culture. we can do well if we learn to concentrate on how to improve the system rather relying on people who have developed their syetem based on their culture

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• Danny Blue 12 years ago

  Many of Ghana's agricultural practices, processing factories and rural development problems have been related to misguided policies, weak institutions and a lack of well-trained human resources.
  Ghana has the potential to e ...
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  Many of Ghana's agricultural practices, processing factories and rural development problems have been related to misguided policies, weak institutions and a lack of well-trained human resources.
  Ghana has the potential to expand its current operations in agro processing to the billion dollar mark, by supporting existing local medium and large scale firms using 70% local raw material to operate at full capacity.
  The objective of these firms would be to eliminate importation of fruit juices, concentrates, and jam and tomato products and export these products within the ECOWAS –AU countries which are currently importing 70% of such products.
  Estimated consumption of juice products in the sub region is between 900, million-one billion liters per year. Nigeria has the highest consumption of 486 million liters (95% made from imported concentrates from Asia and South Africa) Ghana consumes about 120 million liters with 70% being imported from Europe and south Africa.30, 000 tons of tomato products are imported into the country annually.
  However Ghana has sufficient installed capacity within the industry to eliminate importation of processed fruit juices Tomato products & jams as well as boost export in the sub region.
  Ghana also has adequate plantations of citrus and mangoes to cater for local demand and exports as well. An estimated 600,000 metric tons of oranges is produced annually and 36,400 tons mangoes as at 2012.An estimated 27% went wasted .With increasing production volumes of mango under various programs such as ITFC, EADIF SADA, an estimated volumes of mango within the next four years is estimated to increase by 60-80 000 metric tons. Citrus is bought by neighboring countries at low prices and about 40% goes bad therefore market access is critical. Currently under 100,000 tons of citrus is processed for export .a significant amount is sold fresh to neighboring countries.
  However current yield from especially small scale farm needs to be improved 4-5 fold to reduce cost and improve quality and revenue. There is a major shortfall in production of pineapple &passion fruit and tomatoes which should be addressed immediately. Pineapples would require additional 5000 acres of cultivation, 500 acres of passion fruit of cultivation and 3000 acres of tomato. Government has set up pack houses and fruit terminals and trained farmers within the horticultural industry though MIDA however these facilities are idle due to inadequate working capital. The project would support all these FBOs to get back into production for effective utilization of these facilities to enable them join the program.
  PROPOSAL
  The major challenges which have hindered the growth of the local industry are unfair trade advantages from foreign competitors who obtain lower interest rates, efficient utilities, and high level skilled work force as well as good quality high yields in fruit production from large commercial farms .
  Other advantages include farm subsidies and export subsidies available to our competitors. Beverage companies in Nigeria benefitted from a 10 year ban on retail packed fruit juices. Senegal has as a special tax on retail packed juice imported.
  The 10 year ban on fruit juice importation in Nigeria improved local fruit juice importation from 2 million liters per annum to the current 486 million liters and eliminated importation of fruits grown in Nigeria completely. Nigeria’s market is yet to mature.
  STRATEGY
  CITRUS PRODUCTS ARE INTERNATIONAL COMMODITIES QUOTED ON THE STOCK MARKET.GHANA HAS AN ESTIMATED 200-300,000 ACRES UNDER CULTIVATION.CITRUS PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING REQUIRES THE ATTENTION AS COCOA TO ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANT REVENUE FOR GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY PLAYERS.SO DO THE OTHER FRUITS SUCH AS PINEAPPLES , MANGOES AND PASSIONFRUIT.
  We propose that government partners the private sector operators in the industry to overcome its challenges by supporting them with a (i.e. 3 year interest free loan with a 2 year moratorium.) The companies in turn will select commercial farmers and out growers within the group to produce fruits according to their specifications on contract. Training of farmers and fertilizer applications programs are critical factors of success which require government support.
  The initial 2 years will enable the industry support farmers to improve yield and expand farms to met targeted production for export as well as bring in experts to build the capacity of local staff. (Farmers collaboration with industry is a critical factor for success, therefore it is critical for industry to charge and drive a market oriented production with large scale farmers and their out growers imported products).
  It will also enable local firms drop prices of local products to compete with and urge them out gradually without any international controversies

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• Paa Kodwo 12 years ago

  MR MINISTER-PLEASE, THIS IS A SOUND APPEAL, BUT,YOU NEED TO KNOW IT REQUIRES YOUR ADMINISTRATION TO SOLVE THE ENERGY OUTAGE IN THE COUNTRY.
  
  NO FOREWIGN INVESTOR WILL INVEST IN A COUNTRY WITH LACK OF ENERGY SUPPLY;TELECOMMU ...
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  MR MINISTER-PLEASE, THIS IS A SOUND APPEAL, BUT,YOU NEED TO KNOW IT REQUIRES YOUR ADMINISTRATION TO SOLVE THE ENERGY OUTAGE IN THE COUNTRY.
  
  NO FOREWIGN INVESTOR WILL INVEST IN A COUNTRY WITH LACK OF ENERGY SUPPLY;TELECOMMUNICATION(FIXED NET WORK)WATER AND ROADS.

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• WISEMAN 12 years ago

  He promised that government would give two -year tax incentive to any company that would invest in the agro-processing industry in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Central regions.
  WHY NOT IN ALL REGIONS OF GHANA?

  He promised that government would give two -year tax incentive to any company that would invest in the agro-processing industry in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Central regions.
  WHY NOT IN ALL REGIONS OF GHANA?

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