Since the inception of the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) in 2018, a total of 3,826,812 tree crop seedlings have been distributed to farmers in the Eastern Region, according to the Regional Minister, Honourable Seth Kwame Acheampong.
He said the crop seedlings are; Mango, Oil Palm, Coconut, Cashew, Rubber, and Coffee.
Addressing the media at the Ministry of Information in Accra, Honourable Seth Kwame Acheampong said as, in June 2022, a total of 1,278,504 seedlings such as oil Palm, coconut, and mango were distributed to farmers to cultivate on 8,399.55ha of land.
Given the breakdown of the seedlings from 2019 to 2021, the minister said Oil Palm is 2,325,580, Mango is 214,972, Rubber is 314,890, Cashew is 698,200, Coffee is 94,000 and Coconut is 179,170.
In April 2019 at the launch of the Policy, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said the inaugurated Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) program will enhance the foreign exchange earning capacity of the Ghanaian economy.
According to President Akufo-Addo, “PERD provides a historical opportunity for addressing the economic fundamentals by expanding the capacity to earn foreign exchange from agricultural exports, and generate much-needed jobs.”
Institutional measures such as the Ghana Commodity Exchange, the Ghana Incentive-based Risk Sharing Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL), the Tree Crop Development Authority, and the refocusing of the mandate of the Agricultural Development Bank, are being rolled out to support the transformation agenda of this government.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Kofi Atakora
