Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto,Minister of Agriculture
Government is to invest and increase rice production in Ahafo Ano North and Adansi districts in the Ashanti region, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto has hinted.
According to him, rice farmers in these areas and other parts of the country had the potential of producing rice for domestic consumption and export, but would need harvesters and other forms of machines.
Dr Akoto said government would be required to build about ten rice mills in Ahafo Ano North and Adansi, to process high quality rice.
The minister made these observations when he met farmers at Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North District of the Ashanti Region, during his two days working tour of the region.
Dr Akoto said that government has decided to invest in rice production to avoid the importation of rice.
The farmers urged government to financially support them to ensure increased productions of rice to meet the country’s demand.
According to the farmers, they had the capacity of producing enough food crops to meet the country’s demand, and for export, but for the lack of financial assistance from the government.
The Paramount Chief of Tepa, Nana Adusei Ahwerewa Ampem l urged government to support the farmers with loans.
He lauded government for the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme, but advised government to build warehouses for the storage of excess food crops.
Nana Ampem suggested that the distribution of fertilisers to cocoa farmers should be properly monitored by government as some beneficiaries complained about how they were distributed.
He urged government to rehabilitate roads in AhafoAno district to facilitate the transportation of farm produce.
The minister and his entourage inspected the Akate Farm, private poultry farm, at Bosore in Kumasi, and paid a curtsey call on the Kumasi Traditional Council at the Manhyia Palace.
FROM FAUSTINA KWABEA OSEI, TEPA
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