Report by Joseph Nana Yaw COBBINA
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) Dr Afua Asabea Asare has stated that Ghana is now the number one producer of coconut in Africa and is ranked 12th in world.
The nation is however not resting on its oars but is heading to the United States of America to get investment in the sector by procuring and distributing disease tolerant cocoa seedlings farmers in the major coconut growing areas.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the 3rd International Coconut Festival, the Western Regional Minister Hon Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah said currently he is aware that over 800,000 coconut seeds have been distributed by the government, which have been planted in 12,500 acres of land provided by the Ministries of Food and Agriculture, and Local Government and Rural Development.
The Planting for Food and Export programme have also shown considerable investment over the coconut sector of which they must be highly recommended and duly acknowledged.
He told the stakeholders, especially those who are there to look for opportunities in the coconut business to understand that the Western region also produces rice and they can also invest in that sector as well.
“We are gathered here not only to showcase and show potential to the local and international investors, but also to refresh our minds about the potential health benefits of the foods and the need to utilize them for consumption. We often refer to the coconut tree as the tree of life,” he said.
Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah was optimistic that millions of individuals in the coconut producing region depend on coconut for their livelihoods due to their high nutritional contents, including vitamins and minerals.
He stated that the coconuts communities satisfy environmental objectives in our effort to mitigate climate change through replanting efforts, reducing global warming and further the demand of the global market for Coconut, coconut water, sugar, cream, coconut oil and activated carbon.
