David Korboe, the chairman of the African Coconut Group, has requested the government to restore the galamsey grounds for coconut farming.
He claims that because Ghanaian coconut is highly sought after on a global scale, it is essential to recover sufficient land to satisfy rising demand.
At the second annual international coconut festival in Accra, which was organized by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) in conjunction with the African Coconut Group, Mr. Korboe made the announcement (ACG).
The 2022 edition of the International Coconut Festival themed ‘Repositioning Ghana’s Coconut Sector for Accelerated Industrialization’, was aimed at exploring ways of expediting growth of the sector by adding value to the raw materials produced from coconut.
The 3-day event, which brought together farmers, exporters, exhibitors, students, public officials and traditional authorities among others, is aimed at encouraging more Ghanaians to venture into the coconut sector to boost production and export.
Consequently to its global high demand, GEPA has embarked on a number of initiatives that are expected to improve upon the country’s position as the world’s 9th leading producer.
GEPA has since 2017 provided a total of 600,000 disease-tolerant seedlings to coconut farmers to help boost the industry.
Speaking at the sidelines of the closing ceremony, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at GEPA, Samuel Dentu said Ghana intends to increase its market share in terms of coconut production globally.
“We have some seedlings that have been cultivated some two years ago which are nearing yielding. So by next year you will see a lot of productivity coming online. We want to inch closer to being no 1,” he disclosed.
Mr. Boateng was addressing the media in advance of the 2nd International Coconut Festival’s official launch, which will take place at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) from September 20 to 23, 2022.
He said Ghana’s problem of unemployment can be a thing of the past if the coconut sector is well-harnessed as there is a ready market for the country’s coconut products both locally and internationally.
“Coconut is a game changer; and our main aim as organizers of the Coconut Festival is to promote investment in the sector and make it more attractive for Ghanaians to venture into the various businesses associated with it from production, manufacturing to export.”
“The coconut industry alone can employ up to a million Ghanaians because it has good structures under the Coconut Federation, which is made up of five wings; nursery operators, producers (farmers), vendors, processors, and exporters.”
Themed, “Repositioning Ghana’s Coconut Sector for Accelerated Industrialization”, the event is a partnership between the African Coconut Group and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).
Activities for this year’s edition include seminars, mentorship for young people, and sessions with women in coconut.
In 2019, GEPA, partnered with ACG to hold the first ever International Coconut Festival in Ghana, which brought together exhibitors as well as major players to promote the coconut business.
The government of Ghana added coconut to the National Tree Crop Development Authority (NTCDA), which was established in 2019 and mandated to develop and regulate the production, processing, marketing, and export of coconut and other selected tree crops.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database for the year 2017, Ghana ranked 14th on the list of the world’s top coconut producers with 383,960 metric tonnes produced in 2017 alone.
The country’s export of desiccated coconut alone amounted to 21.9 million dollars in 2021 from 6.3 million dollars in 2020 and 3.8 million dollars in 2019, making Ghana 9th in global export of desiccated coconut.