Ekumfi Abor (C/R), Feb. 20, GNA - Negotiations are far advanced between Mfantseman District Assembly and a foreign investor for establishment of pineapple processing factory in the district.

Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, the District Chief Executive, who announced this said the project was in line with the assembly's decision to make pineapple production and processing one of the three projects selected for development under the President's Special Initiative. Mr Quainoo-Arthur was addressing farmers when he inspected a pineapple demonstration farm at Ekufi Abor near Mankessim in the Central Region.

The farm, owned by Alhaji K. Ibrahim was established under the guidance of the Mfantseman District Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).

Two farms were made on a hill, one planted with basal removed pineapple suckers across the hill, whilst the other was planted with unremoved basal suckers along the slope. Though the two farms were planted the same day, the one with removed basal suckers was more prosperous than the other.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur commended the agriculture extension agents for introducing the new scheme to the farmers and exhorted them to take instructions from the extension agents seriously.

"It has become clear that the old system of farming cannot help you to come out of poverty therefore, you have to listen to agriculture extension agents to enable you to adapt yourselves to modern methods so as to maximize yield", he said.

He said problems of marketing and post harvest loses were being addressed.

He repeated his call on beneficiaries of Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) to pay back in time for others to benefit from it. Mr George Yaw Donkoh an extension agent urged farmers to regard farming as a business, which they have to manage well to maximize profit.