The oil palm industry has the potential to make tremendous contribution to the development of Ghana’s economy but much attention has not been given to this industry. In this quest, the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Out-grower Association Ghana has launched its “One Million” oil palm seedlings project dubbed “Promoting a Sustainable Oil Palm Industry” in Akyem Asuom in the Kwaebibirem Municipality of the Eastern region.
The guest of honour at the launch, Alhaji Abdul Hanan-Wahab, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Buffer Stock company expressed his excitement about the project and of the belief that Ghana has the potential to be ranked high in the production and the marketing of palm oil on the global market.
He congratulated the management of the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Out-growers Association Ghana for their initiatives and the support for the oil palm growers and processors in Ghana to ensuring that large quantities of good quality palm oil are distributed nationwide for consumption and industrial use.
He also expressed the continued support of his outfit to ensuring that Ghana improves its production of oil palm for domestic use and, most importantly, for export.
The Executive Chairman of the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Out-growers Association, Mr. Paul Akumaning, explained to the media and the gathering that their aim is to make the oil palm industry a sustainable venture and the products from the industry a leading commodity in national and global market.
To achieve this aim, the association is to assist the primary producers (oil palm farmers) with oil palm seedlings in a franchise scheme and technical skills from production throughout the value chain. In view of this, the oil palm seedlings would be disbursed to registered farmer associations in the various communities which have been instituted.
To process palm oil of good quality for the market the association is working in consultation with the Solidaridad West Africa to facilitate the set-up of high tech artisanal processing centres popularly known as “Crammers” in the communities and a central centre in Nkurakan, a community within the vicinity. This would also help in the training of the processors in the best standard to ensure palm oil quality.
The Chairman of the occasion who doubled as the chief of Akyem Asuom, Osabarima Ofosuhene Appenteng II, welcomed the aim of the project and entreated all to support the project to make it success and bring development to the community and its environs.
The intervention is timely and would help and bring a socio-economic improvement among the dwellers that are mostly farmers and cultivate this crop. He also advised the communities to contribute their quota towards the government agenda of national development.
Farmers numbering eight hundred graced the occasion and were of great expectations that the sustainable production of oil palm has the power to elevate them economically as it would provide a sustainable source of income for them. “ I have registered in my community to be part of the out-grower scheme, even though I grow the crop in a small-scale, I believe the project would help me expand my farm size and have a reliable market also for my fresh palm fruits when harvested” – a delighted Farmer Emmanuel said.
Abass Iddrisu/agrictoday.com.gh
