Business News of Thursday, 22 May 2003

Source: gna

Senior Minister's office grants loans to farmers

The Hohoe District Office of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) is to disburse 140 million cedis from the Senior Minister's Office to members of 40 Co-operative groups that had registered with MOFA.

Each member is to collect 300,000 cedis from the Asubonteng Rural Bank and would be required to repay the loan in six months with a 20 percent interest.

Speaking at a meeting with the beneficiaries, Mr James Dogbe, Hohoe district Chief Executive (DCE), said the government was doing its best to assist farmers to produce more to feed the nation.

"We shall soon establish a District market for buyers. Soon marketing of farm produce would be a problem of the past to farmers", he said.

He called on farmers in the district to form co-operatives to enable them to benefit from government incentives.

Mr David Dzebu, Hohoe District Director of MOFA, said his office was trying to assist farmers to market their produce.

He announced that the office had established agriculture information center, which is connected to the internet and all regional capitals to enable it to obtain up-to-date market information to assist farmers.