Fumesua (Ash), Nov 4, GNA - Mr. S.K. Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, said on Tuesday that even though Ghana has the potential to produce 700,000 metric tons of soybeans per annum the national production of the crop is still under 50,000 metric tons annually.

He said while, production level of soybean is very low national demand for it is as high as 300,000 metric tons annually, thereby compelling government to import some to cater for the shortfall. Mr Boafo said this when he addressed the opening session of a two-day workshop on the promotion of soybean in Ghana organised under the Food Crops Development (FCD) project of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).

The FCD is a five-year project initiated by the government of Ghana ink February 2001 with the aim of increasing the income levels and food security of smallholder farmers in some farming areas of the country.

The African Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Ghana are financing it.

About 70 participants made up mainly of researchers, policy-makers, extension officers, bank officials and farmers are attending the workshop under the theme "Soybean a crop for wealth creation, good health and industrial growth."

Mr Boafo attributed the low production level of the crop to ignorance among many Ghanaians about its nutritional values and economic benefits to the nation.

The Regional Minister therefore appealed to researchers, policy-makers and all stakeholders to work as a team to identify and remove bottlenecks that have hampered large-scale production of the crop.

"We can save the country the scarce foreign exchange used to import soybean and also export the crop should we be able to fully develop and utilise the potential in the industry."

Mr Adu Nti, Ashanti Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), said though farmers are poised to take to soybean production the drudgery associated with its production puts them off. He appealed to specialists and researchers to come out with easy and more cost effective means of producing soybeans.