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Aveyime rice farm to bounce back soon |
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The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Ernest Debrah, has disclosed that agreement has been entered into with a strategic investor to resuscitate the Aveyime rice farm. |
Answering questions at the meet the press series yesterday, he said negotiation was not easy, "especially if one is looking at it with the interest of the country in mind."
According to him, what is left now is the issue of compensation which he described as an internal affair and has nothing to do with the strategic investor.
Explaining further, the Minister said although the money for the compensation is already available, it is left with the modalities to its disbursement and indicated that the Attorney General is tying the loose ends.
On the issue of the Northern Star Factory operating below capacity due to the refusal of tomato farmers to sell to them, the Minister pointed out that the factory has to sell its products on the international market where there is stiff competition and as a result cannot buy the tomatoes at the price being quoted by the farmers.
He however disclosed that he had held discussions with both parties on the issue and has assured them of his support in finding a solution to the situation. The Minister was very optimistic that the factory would not stop operating.
Mr Debrah dismissed allegations that government does not subsidise agriculture because it is a conditionality demanded by its development partners. "Nobody has asked government not to subsidise agriculture in Ghana," he said.
According to him, government has always been subsidising agriculture in the country, noting, "Farm inputs imported into the country are exempted from taxation." He further pointed out that there are other services that are offered by government to farmers free of charge. He observed that subsidy in itself can be good or bad since it can lead to mediocrity.
He disclosed that government has set up the Rice Professional Body made up of all stakeholders in the rice sector to buy locally produced rice.
Mr Debrah disclosed that MOFA has prepared a National Agriculture Policy which has gone through the stakeholders' level and will soon go through the executive level and then presented to Parliament.
He explained issues of agriculture are not to be politicised because hunger does not know any politics. He also reiterated the need for Ghanaians to patronise made in Ghana goods.
On the issue that credit to farmers always comes late, the Minister said the credit is not provided by MOFA but rather the banks. He therefore advised farmers to look for their credit facility earlier before they start cultivation. He noted that the problem is that most farmers do not see farming as a business. |
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