Government to create authority to market 6 tree crops – Agric Minister

Agriculture Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has disclosed government’s intent to create an authority that will oversee and market six non-traditional crops to boost production and increase revenue in the country.

The Minister believes the six tree crops; Coffee, Rubber, Oil palm, Mango, Coconut and Cashew if managed and marketed well can be the country’s leading producers within the next decade aside cocoa and gold.

Speaking at the maiden Ghana Coffee Conference in Accra, Dr. Afriyie Akoto said for this to be attainable, it would be prudent for these crops to be under one authority that would have oversight responsibility for their development.

He said, the initiative is a deliberate attempt to put the spotlight on Coffee, which is expected to be a key crop for the country in the near future, and other non-traditional crops.

The Minister bemoaned the inability of governments over the years to develop the Coffee potential of the country highlighting the strides neighbouring Cote d'Ivoire has made over the years in development of the crop.

After monitoring Cote d’Ivoire’s model of developing the commodity industry by the private sector, Dr. Afriyie Akoto said Ghana will replicate their model to bring development to our economy.

He further disclosed that all things being equal he has readied a document for cabinet's consideration.

The document he detailed provides for the establishment of a common marketing board to oversee the growth of the selected 6 tree crops.

"Along with this, we are also thinking about the marketing arrangements. We cannot have a marketing board for every crop under the sun. So we are going for the francophone model of putting all these crops under one authority. As I speak to you, I have done a draft cabinet memorandum to go to government for final approval to come to parliament so that it becomes statutory" the Minister asserted.