Tamale, June 26, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday announced a GHC 3.5 million financial support for the revamping of Ghana's cotton industry that took a nose dive a decade ago.

Apart from the direct financial support, he said that cotton farmers would also benefit from a GHC 1.5 million general subsidy package granted to all farmers in the country for this farming season.

The Vice President announced these when he launched the cotton support programme for cotton farmers in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions (the three northern regions), in Tamale to herald cotton farming. He said that the cotton farming, which became a booming industry for the three northern regions in the 60s and 70s, recorded gradual reduction in the 80s and 90s due mainly to the high cost of farming inputs and high soil infertility.

Vice President Mahama said that it is against this backdrop, that government this year embarked on series of consultative meetings to revive the industry not only for export and textile industries, but to create employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youth in the country. He said that financial support was to help farmers prepare their lands, procure quality seeds, chemicals and fertilizers to increase cotton production to about 10,000 hectres to value at 10,000 metric tonnes. The Vice President said "If the projection of 10,000 hectares of cotton production this year succeeds, it will help government to determine subsequent projections and support to the farmers to revive the industry." He said that government would this year import combine harvesters to boost rice farming throughout the country and called on farmers to organize themselves into groups to be able to purchase the machinery. Mr. Mahama advised the farmers to adhere strictly to technical advice from Agricultural Extension farmers and move away from traditional farming which had over the years stifled their progress. He said "Agriculture is a science and does not depend on cultural practices and if you have to pay too much attention to those things against technical advice you may not get the desired yield."

Mr. Mahama Ayariga, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, said the Ministry was in constant touch with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other stakeholders to ensure that cotton became a major cash crop in Ghana. "The three Northern regions have the capacity to produce adequate cotton for local consumption and export and the government is doing everything possible to ensure that that goal is achieved in the coming years." Mr. Abdul Rahaman Mohammed, Chairman of the National Cotton farmers Association mentioned high interest rates of bank loans, addiction to cultural farming practices and inadequate financial support as some of the challenges of the industry.