Awutu-Beraku (C/R), May 7, The Ayensu Starch Factory at Awutu-Bawjiase in the Central Region has within the past two weeks, transported about 500 tonnes of industrial starch to the Tema Harbour for export.

The company has a large stock of finished product to meet local and international demands, and efforts are underway to transport all to the port to meet requests of its trading partners.

Mr. Samuel Konteh Dodd, National Chairman of Ayensu Cassava Farmers Association was briefing the press at Awutu-Beraku on the operations of the company on Thursday.

The meeting followed recent claims by some cassava farmers in the Awutu-Bawjiase area that the company had failed to pay for the cassava they supplied a month ago.

Mr. Dodd maintained that leaders of the association had been meeting management of the company regularly to discuss issues affecting the general well being of farmers who produce cassava to feed the factory.

He said as far as the executive was concerned, it is only one-week arrears in the payment of cassava supplied to the company by some farmers and which the company had not been able to settle. Mr. Dodd warned members or cassava producers in the area who want to play politics with the Ayensu Starch Factory to desist from such unpatriotic act.

He explained that the problem was due to liquidity problem, adding that now that the company has been able to transport part of its stockpiled finished product to the port, its bankers would be able to release adequate funds to the company to meet its financial commitments to farmers.

He asked members of the association to attend meetings regularly to keep them abreast with issues affecting their welfare.