Regional News of Sunday, 3 April 2005

Source: GNA

BAK farmers appeal to government for market of produce

Kuntanase (Ash), April 3, GNA-Ginger farmers in the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma (BAK) district have appealed to the government to assist in finding ready market to ease a ginger glut in the district. They have also suggested the rehabilitation of the abandoned ginger factory at Gyankobaa in the Atwima-Nwabigya district to help process and add value to the ginger for export while also creating jobs for the youth in the area.

Mr Kwabena Ankama, spokesperson for the farmers who made the appeal at a farmer's forum held at Kuntanase on Thursday, said the bumper harvest of the produce which happens to be one of the crops selected for the district under the President's Special Initiative (PSI), is a result of the farmers enthusiasm to enter into ginger cultivation. He said large quantities of ginger worth millions of cedis have been left to rot in the bush due to lack of market.

When contacted, Mr Bright Addai-Mununkum, the acting District Chief Executive, disclosed to the GNA that the district assembly was liaising with the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) to find a lasting solution to the ginger glut in the district.

He said the assembly has also contacted Barbex Enterprise, a ginger processing firm in Accra and that negotiation are far advanced to cart ginger to Accra for processing and subsequently for export.