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| The facility is for the construction of parked and cooler houses on their respective farms for the preservation of their farm produce |
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The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) has signed a 2.171 million dollar loan facility with Seafreight Pineapple Exporters of Ghana (SPEG), an association of pineapple growers in Accra.
The facility is to be disbursed among members of the association for the construction of parked and cooler houses on their respective farms for the preservation of their farm produce.
The Chief Executive Officer of MiDA, Martin Esuon-Benjamin, said the money was part of a component to support agricultural transformation in the country.
He said the Authority was working with horticulture growers, particularly pineapple growers in three zones in the Northern Region and Afram Plains who also have outgrowers.
Mr Esuon-Benjamin said the idea was to assist the farmers to boost their operations and farm produce, adding that "when they are supported to improve on their production, it will also increase their profit margin."
The authority has also extended similar loan facilities to mango growers in the Krobo area in the Eastern Region.
He noted that the loan, which is payable in three years, will be a revolving one for members of SPEG.
The Chief Executive Officer said four members of the association would also be taken to Washington D.C, USA to explore opportunities available with businesses there, especial1y Chikita, a company which has expressed interest in buying pineapples from Ghana. The idea, he noted was to expose the farmers to bigger markets.
The President of SPEG, Sylvester Korang-Amoako, expressed gratitude to the Governments of Ghana and the United States for the support, describing it as a relief and timely.
He said that in the past, most of the farmers were cultivating smooth cayenne but that at a point, the price dropped fol1owing the patronage of another variety cal1ed MD2.
Mr Korang-Amoako said the first consignment loan facility would be distributed to seven out of the 27 members adding that all members would have benefitted by the end of December.
He urged the beneficiaries to use the loan judiciously.
Source: The Ghanaian Times
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