Adom FM/TV’s Asuk)d) documentary on the poultry industry that highlighted challenges in the sector has led to more worrying issues in the sector popping up.
One of the latest to have emerged is how a four million cedis factory, set up to process chicken locally, is going waste at Gomoa Potsin in the Central Region.
Owner of the Aglow Farms, Kofi Brobbey Akyei, sharing his ordeal on Adom FM’s Current Affairs Programme Burning Issues, hosted by Akua Boakyewaa Yiadom, stated that, the factory was established somewhere in 2017.
After its establishment, they went into operation for just about one and half years before they stopped operating.
According to him, when they began operation, they had a contract with some companies who were buying their products but their clients changed their mind along the way.
The reason for the failure of the establishment is the high importation rate as well as benchmark value.
“After every six months, we go for business review with our clients and during one of such meetings, they told us that due to the benchmark value government has introduced, they cannot afford to buy from us again because they can import chicken at low cost compared to ours,” Mr Kyei said.
Explaining the cost of the factory, Mr Kyei said, the dollar rate equivalent at the time was four million Ghana Cedis but if he is to compare to current rate, it is around 12 million Ghana cedis.
He also rubbished claims that the company is under government’s flagship Programme 1D1F.
Mr Kyei said he got support from Exim Bank to establish the factory but it is rather unfortunate the whole investment is going waste.
“The company gave direct and indirect jobs to people in the area, but now that we are no longer in operation, such people have become jobless,’’ he stated