Ghanaian Vice President, John Dramani Mahama has plans to raise Ghanas cotton produce and last month it was revealed by him the launch of the Ghana Cotton Revival Project whilst at Nanton in the Savelugu/Nanton Districh. He announced a joint program betweeen the African Development Bank and the World Bank as a means to bring a revival to Ghana’s cotton industry.
- source www.bristolfairtrade.org.uk
Ghana has three producing regions in the north of the country – zones known as North East, North West and North Centra and the plan is to raise the production of cotton and so also get farmers a better price for their lint cotton. This is likely to engage more than 100,000 farmers to boost the current year’s cotton production to 30,000 metric tons.
Mr Alex Agyemang, Administrative Secretary of the Bureau said the project will save the industry from eventual collapse.
“It is our (RPIB) hope that the new strategic partners who would be operating in the various zones would take steps to motivate the farmers to increase production. It is also good news to our farmers that government intends to announce a guarantee price for cotton just as it has done for other major exports. However, RPIB is appealing to the government to commission a Presidential Enquiry to investigate the circumstances that led to the near bankruptcy of the Ghana Cotton Company Limited.”
Mr Agyemang said, the term of reference of the commission should include what the revenue earned from the cotton exports was used for and what caused the huge losses incurred by the hard working farmers.
He said, the company that purchased the cotton from the farmers is claiming that it is yet to receive payment from the government for its services.
“This has placed the farmers in debt as a result of loans contracted to plant the crop. RPIB welcomes the new partners on the field of White Gold in the three regions and hope government would give these companies the maximum support to invest in the cotton industry.”
Mr Agyemang expressed the hope that the partners will bring their expertise in the cocoa sector to bear in the cotton industry for the farmers to enjoy the fruits of their labour.
This is great news for the country and is likely to improve trade as well in this area.
(Source: GNA and http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=96631)
