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President Kufuor inaugurates a cocoa processing factory
at Tema
Tema, Nov. 4, Ghanadot/GNA --
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday unveiled a plaque
to inaugurate a 100-million-dollar cocoa processing factory
at Tema with a call on cocoa farmers to increase their
production.
Management of Cargill Ghana Limited Cocoa Processing Factory
would process 65,000 tonnes of cocoa beans annually into
high quality cocoa liquor, butter and powder for customers
worldwide.
President Kufuor urged cocoa farmers to work hard to
increase their production to enable them provide
uninterrupted supply of quality cocoa beans to cocoa
processing companies in the country.
He said even though cocoa production in the country had
increased during the past eight years, farmers must strive
to produce at least one million tonnes of cocoa beans
annually to feed the ready market.
President Kufuor noted that Government was pursuing
innovative measures to expand and turn the private sector
into the fulcrum of the economy.
He said more people were investing in the country due to the
improvement in the processes of acquiring the needed
investment documents and prompt adjudication of commercial
cases.
President Kufuor said the public sector was being reformed
to facilitate the smooth operation of the private sector
since a weak public sector was a disincentive for the
private sector.
Mr Isaac Osei, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board
(COCOBOD) said it was determined to support the local
processing companies to promote domestic processing of
cocoa.
He said Ghana processes 298,000 tonnes of her annual cocoa
production and exceeded her objective to locally process at
least 40 per cent of the national output.
Mr Osei expressed COCOBOD’s determination to ensure that
quality cocoa beans required by local processing companies
were supplied to boost the industry.
He said Cargill’s presence in Ghana would lead to
appreciable levels of job and wealth creation and add value
to the country’s cocoa.
Mr Greg Page, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of
Cargill Incorporated said management had companies in 67
countries with 160,000 employees worldwide.
He said the factory which would complement the existing
cocoa processing facility in Cote d’Ivoire would extend
Cargill’s West Africa’s range of cocoa powder for customers
to benefit from new colours and flavours from which cocoa
products could be made.
Mr Page said the company had already provided employment to
about 1,000 construction workers in addition to creating
opportunities for Ghanaian cocoa farmers.
He said Cargill had also provided employment and training
for about 200 employees in the plant.
Mr Leo Winters, Managing Director of Cargill Ghana Limited,
said the company which was established in 1865 had been
buying and processing Ghana’s cocoa beans.
He said the company’s experience in processing cocoa beans
would contribute positively to sustainability of the Tema
factory as well as help improve the high quality
expectations associated with Ghana’s cocoa.
GNA
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