GHANA – The government of Ghana has inaugurated a rice processing center in the Adansi-South District of the Ashanti Region, constructed under the government’s One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative, aimed to boost production of the staple crop.

The facility, according to Ghana News Agency, has a processing capacity of 140 bags of rice per day and was constructed under the supervision of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and B. Kaakyire Agro Chemicals Company Limited.

It is expected to enhance the rice value and supply chain to the advantage of farmers in the District.

Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice-President of Ghana, inaugurating the project, said a total of 76 projects had been completed under the Initiative and are currently in operation.

According to the Vice-President, 232 1D1F projects are ongoing of which 168 are new factories and 64 existing ones that received capital injection.

As an incentive the government has mobilised the local banks to provide GHc2.3 billion liquidity support.

Consequently, it has also subsidized the interest rate of the banks with GHc205 million duty exemption.

232 1D1F projects are ongoing of which 168 are new factories and 64 existing ones that received capital injection.

In the same region, a 1, 000 metric tonnes grains warehouse has been opened.

The project was executed under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) and was supervised by the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives (MSDI).

Meanwhile, another 1D1F project, Best Fertilizer Company Limited is expected to commence operation in January, 2021.

Incorporated in 2018 and headquartered in East Legon, Accra, the company has as its principal activity the manufacturing of foliar fertilisers, organic fertilisers, customised and special fertiliser blends for specific crops such as  cashew, cocoa, coconut, maize, cowpeas, vegetables, and mangoes in different agro-ecological zones in the country.

It is set to have one of the most modern, fully-automated fertiliser plants in the country and will create 180 direct employment and some 450 indirect jobs.

Sited on 15.3-acre land, the 15,000-square-foot factory is completed and a 20,000-square-foot warehouse is 85 percent completed.

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