GHANA – The Ghanaian government through the ministry of trade and industry has said that it is committed to supporting small and medium beverage enterprises through incentives to boost their operations.

Mr Robert Ahomka-Lindsay, deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, pointed out that the beverage industry is an important sector in the country’s economy and therefore deserves a closer focus.

He said that the government has so far introduced incentives in the sector which include zero duty on all equipment for manufacturing beverages and subsidisation percentage for investments, reports Ghana News Agency.

Additionally, the government has introduced a duty-free on raw materials for manufacturers who had experienced challenges in acquiring them under the One District One Factory initiative.

“You have an opportunity of having zero duty for all the equipment you bring in for the manufacture of your beverage, zero duty. You have a five-year corporate tax-free holiday associated with your business.

We as a government are prepared to subsidize up to 50 percent, 10 percent of interest cost baring for you to borrow money to put in your business and in some cases when we know you cannot get the raw materials, we look to help you to get the raw materials duty free,” Mr Ahomka-Lindsay said.

The Deputy Minister revealed that the beverage industry qualifies to be incorporated under the ministry’s programme for industrial transformation, One District, One Factory.

The ministry, he said, has also made available more interventions aimed at reducing the cost of production for the industry, especially, for companies who manufacture their products in the country.
According to the minister, these incentives are offered because the government believes that the beverage industry has a role in the creation of jobs and wealth in the country.

Mr Ahomka-Lindsay, stressed on the need to encourage Small and Medium beverage companies in the industry because of the benefits they can bring to Ghana’s development.

The Food and Beverage Association of Ghana (FABAG) has also called on beverage producers to be part of the responsibility in combatting plastic waste across the country

Ghana boasts of a diverse beverage industry with investments cutting across all beverage segments.

Among the major players in the sector include Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana, Twellium Industries, Fan Milk Ghana Limited, Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, Nestlé Ghana, Kasapreko Company, Unilever Ghana and Voltic (GH) Limited.