The cultivation of a 200-acre avocado plantation under the Akufo-Addo led government’s One District One Factory flagship programme has begun at Nkoronso at East Akyem District of the Eastern Region.
A company named Akuapem Gold Agro Processing Limited, funded by the Ghana Exim Bank, has targeted to cultivate 2,000 acres of three varieties of avocado within the next year and scale it up to 10,000 acres within the next five years.
Speaking at an inauguration ceremony of the company, National Coordinator for 1D1F, Gifty Ohene-Konadu said the long-term objectives of the solely owned Ghanaian company fits the targets of the government’s 1D1F programme and assured residents of job opportunities.
“Over 5,000 residents of Nkronso are expected to get employment in the company through this new project; Avocado will become the country’s next largest export in place of cocoa. I will, therefore, ask the public to engage in avocado production since there is now a company that will purchase and process it locally” she said.
Chairman of Akuapem Gold Agro Processing Ltd, Albert Wilson gave the assurance of hard work to enable them to meet the expected target.
“Since avocado is now dominating on the world market, we will work hard to meet demands in both local and international markets to increase our foreign exchange. The Factory will have a processing capacity of six to eight tonnes per hour,” he assured.
Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia OforiPayin II, who was also at the ceremony charged the expected employees to give of their best for the growth of the company.
Source: Adomonline.com/Adom News/Kwame Kulenu