Nsawam, Sept. 4, GNA - About 200 pineapple farmers in the Akwapim South District at the weekend ended a two-day workshop on Rapid Multiplication Technique production and marketing of varieties of pineapples.

The varieties include Smooth Cayenne and Sugar Loaf which were meant for the local and foreign markets. The programme was organised by Albe Farms and Green Culture Organisation, an NGO in collaboration with the Akwapim South District Assembly.

In a closing address, Mr. Andrew Yaw Nyarko-Adu the District Chief Executive for Akwapim South said the aspiration of the small scale farmer in the area is to intensify pineapple production, especially the cultivation of the new varieties now popular among the local communities.

Mr. Nyarko-Adu said the District Assembly was ready to assist farmers with logistics and even loans for expansion of the their farms since the best farmers for the next year would include small scale farmers but not only the large scale farmers.

Mr. Nyarko-Adu urged the participants who were taught how to multiply workers from the training to share the ideas to others, for more pineapple for the local market as well as for exportation to earn foreign money to develop the economy of the country.

Mr. Albert Atuah, Managing Director of Albe Farms in Accra thanked the DCE and said, among all the non traditional crops, pineapple was one of the major crops with a high export value and accounted for about 7 per cent of the total national export.

Mr. Atuah therefore, appealed to the youth of the area to register in their numbers to start the cultivation of pineapple instead of going after white colour jobs in the cities.