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Communique issued to revamp cotton industry
24 Sep '10
2 min read
A communiqué calling on the government has been issued, to take immediate steps to revamp ailing cotton industry of Ghana to facilitate it to regain its lost glory, by a multi-stakeholders' forum on cotton industry revitalization.
Cotton farmers of the country along with industrial players, representatives from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, development partners and agricultural experts signed this communiqué, which was issued during the conclusion of a two-day conference.
The conference, titled "Towards the development of a long term strategy on cotton development in Ghana", was co-organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Agriculture.
The communiqué stated that the revitalization of the cotton industry is not possible without a well structured Farmer Based Organization (FBO) system. The FBO structure is presently confused, it added.
The communiqué also recommended that the activities of the cotton companies should be limited to purchasing cotton seed, processing and marketing, at least after a period of five years.
Moreover, it said that the government should facilitate raw material supply to cotton farmers at subsidized rates to ensure low risk in cotton production to assist them to increase production and productivity, essential for a sustainable cotton industry.
Cotton seed production is the key requirement of cotton industry revitalization as well as to provide a vibrant and consistent cotton production, added the communiqué, recommending that the government should fix a guaranteed annual producer price and supply adequate resources to farmers to produce cotton for sale to the ginneries.
Also, the country should discover the possibility to adopt the cultivation of Bt Cotton in order to increase production. A Technical Working Committee was also recommended to be formed, to monitor development stages for a vibrant and sustainable cotton industry.
In addition to all this, there should be a collaborative arrangement to monitor cheap textile imports, and measures to train skilled manpower to deal with the developmental challenges of the cotton industry.
Cotton farmers of the country along with industrial players, representatives from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, development partners and agricultural experts signed this communiqué, which was issued during the conclusion of a two-day conference.
The conference, titled "Towards the development of a long term strategy on cotton development in Ghana", was co-organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Agriculture.
The communiqué stated that the revitalization of the cotton industry is not possible without a well structured Farmer Based Organization (FBO) system. The FBO structure is presently confused, it added.
The communiqué also recommended that the activities of the cotton companies should be limited to purchasing cotton seed, processing and marketing, at least after a period of five years.
Moreover, it said that the government should facilitate raw material supply to cotton farmers at subsidized rates to ensure low risk in cotton production to assist them to increase production and productivity, essential for a sustainable cotton industry.
Cotton seed production is the key requirement of cotton industry revitalization as well as to provide a vibrant and consistent cotton production, added the communiqué, recommending that the government should fix a guaranteed annual producer price and supply adequate resources to farmers to produce cotton for sale to the ginneries.
Also, the country should discover the possibility to adopt the cultivation of Bt Cotton in order to increase production. A Technical Working Committee was also recommended to be formed, to monitor development stages for a vibrant and sustainable cotton industry.
In addition to all this, there should be a collaborative arrangement to monitor cheap textile imports, and measures to train skilled manpower to deal with the developmental challenges of the cotton industry.
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