Kumasi, April 22, GNA - Government has been urged to support individuals and organizations in the country to use cocoa husks to produce in commercial quantities potash salt.

This is because potassium carbonate produced from the husks of cocoa has large economic potential, which needed to be exploited for the benefit of cocoa farmers and the country.

Dr. Yeboah Woode, a lecturer at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and technology (KNUST), made the call in an interview with GNA in Kumasi on Thursday. He said any such government initiative would help boost the income of cocoa farmers and create more jobs for the youth.

Dr. Woode, who is also Executive Director of Marglas Potash Industries (MPI) limited, sole producer of potash salt, said the company alone could not meet the 1000 tonnes per day being demanded by importers. He said the company has recently launched a kiln machine, used for potash extraction, which he invented and was being used at Mankranso in the Ahafo-Ano District of Ashanti.

Dr Woode called on government to support the company to set up factories in cocoa growing areas throughout the country to produce potash salt.

He said apart from providing employment, such a plan would help reduce the country's import of potassium salt, diversify the country's export earnings and that about two million dollars foreign exchange could be realised. 23 April 09