A desiccated coconut
In the quest of Dr. Akoto to change by improving the economic situation of Ghana and make the country economic independent by ensuring that coconut, together with other five selected tree crops provide Ghana with a minimum of 12 billion dollars every year under the Tree Crop Development Authority module, he put in place a policy to improve the country’s production of coconut on the African continent and the global pedestal in general.
Note, the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA), established in 2019 is of the mandate to develop and regulate production, processing, marketing and export of six selected tree crops, namely: Coconut, Cashew, Shea, Mango, Oil Palm and Rubber.
In order to achieve such an enviable foresight and economic landmark, Dr. Akoto as part of government policies, facilitated the provision of over six hundred thousand (600,000) disease-tolerant seedlings to coconut farmers to help boost the sector since 2017.
Due to the adequate management of this initiative under Dr. Akoto, Ghana, in 2020, for the first time became the largest producer of coconut in Africa and the 14th largest producer in world with a landmark production of 494,400 tonnes. It further increased to 507,255 tonnes in 2021 with a percentage growth rate of 23%.
Find Below Coconut Production in Africa According to FAOSTAT between 2015 and 2021
Year: 2021
Ghana - 507,255 tonnes
Tanzania - 458,924 tonnes
Mozambique- 246,330 tonnes
Year: 2020
Ghana - 494,400 tonnes
Tanzania - 459,000 tonnes
Mozambique- 244,516 tonnes
Year: 2019
Tanzania - 504,000 tonnes
Ghana - 484,800 tonnes
Mozambique - 246,554 tonnes
Year: 2018
Tanzania - 525,000 tonnes
Ghana - 474,000 tonnes
Mozambique - 247,918 tonnes
Year: 2017
Tanzania - 642,000 tonnes
Ghana - 460,800 tonnes
Mozambique - 239,077 tonnes
Year: 2016
Tanzania - 642,000 tonnes
Ghana - 456,000 tonnes
Mozambique - 252,667 tonnes
Year:2015
Tanzania - 532,000 tonnes
Ghana - 380,380 tonnes
Mozambique - 252,011 tonnes
Per the massive inputs into the coconut sector and subsequent gains recorded between 2017 and 2021, Ghana’s exports of desiccated coconut to the world recorded a significant jump of 249% in value in 2021 as compared to that of the year 2020, and as a result, brought about huge revenue addition to the economy of the Country worth about $32 million since 2019.
Note, according to the Ghana Exports Promotion Center (GEPA), exports stood at $21.985 million in 2021 compared to $6.3 million in 2020 and $3.8 million in 2019. This therefore ranked Ghana 9th in global exports of desiccated coconut. From 2017 to 2021, growth in exports earnings from desiccated coconut exported by Ghana averaged 45%.
Per the policy and measures put in place by Dr. Akoto, expected revenue from the coconut industry for Ghana is supposed to rise to a minimum of $2 billion dollars annually.
The facts above therefore corroborate the widely held public perception that Dr. Akoto is a problem solver, visionary, purposeful, result-oriented and the best Ghana has ever had and therefore should be highly acknowledged for his significant contributions to the economic situation of the Country.
