Six regions to get fruit processing plants

Backpage, Dec 29, 2007
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE government is to assist the private sector to set up 10 medium-scale enterprises in six regions for the processing of fruits into juice and jam for the local and international markets next year.
Already, 10 fruit procession plants imported into the country under the Ghana Private Sector Development Fund at a cost of about 1.5 million euros are ready for installation.
The plants — which would process oranges, mangoes, water-melons and pineapples, among others — would be sited in the Greater Accra, Volta, Central, Eastern, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions.
This came to light when the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, held discussions with Madam Ruth Akyeampong, a consultant to the entrepreneurs undertaking the projects.
Madam Akyeampong, who was accompanied by Madam Gifty Klenam, an industrialist, told the Daily Graphic that although the establishment of the enterprises were mentioned in the 2002 budget, it was not until the middle of this year that the plants were imported into the country.
“Since the implementation of the policy delayed, there is the need for the government to assist the entrepreneurs for the acquisition of additional funds for the installation and expansion of their businesses,” she said.
Madam Akyeampong explained that the installation of the plants would ensure the provision of jobs for thousands of people and save the country from the importation of fruit juice and jam.
She said currently, Ghana was importing about $25 million worth of fruit juice from South Africa alone, adding that the project would drastically reduce post-harvest losses associated with the fruit industry.
Madam Akyeampong said the fruit juice industry had a huge market both in the country and Nigeria, which needed to be exploited by Ghanaians.
Responding, Mr Baah-Wiredu said the government was ready to assist the small- and medium-scale industries in the country to ensure the rapid expansion of the economy.
He, therefore, gave assurance that everything possible would be done to enable the entrepreneurs to get the necessary assistance to install and operate the plants.
In a related development, the Finance Minister has complained about the failure of many Ghanaians to send out made-in-Ghana goods as Christmas gifts.
He observed that a hamper which contained 16 items presented to him did not have a single locally-manufactured product but were made either in England, Ireland or some other foreign country.
“This is what is killing us. How can we move ahead if we keep on spending the little we have to import from other countries?” He querried.