Farmers to benefit from export deal

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA - Members of the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF) are to benefit from a 60 million-dollar a year deal to export groundnuts to a major buyer in the European Union. Mr Charles K. Annan, Executive Secretary of GNAFF, told the GNA that the deal would benefit several thousand members in all the regions. "We have the capacity to satisfy the buyer. Groundnuts are produced all over the country," he said.

He said the export was set to commence this month and set to expand to 210 million dollars a year by 2009. "The association is currently finalising negotiations for the export of other agricultural products." Mr Anaan said GNAFF, in conjunction with various service providers, had put in place an agricultural producers' credit society network, for the provision of enhanced financial services to its members and an Agricultural Produce Inspection and Certification System to ensure quality in the production and marketing of Ghanaian agricultural produce both on the local, as well as the international market. He said from January next year, an Agricultural Traceability System and Good Agricultural Practices Audit System would be progressively introduced to members who would benefit from a serviced agricultural land lots scheme.