President of the Coffee Federation of Ghana, Chief Nathaniel Ebo- Nsarko has called on the government to provide more support to the coffee sector in Ghana to boost production in the country to help create more jobs and bring foreign exchange to the country.
According to him, successive governments have not paid much attention to the coffee sector leaving it to struggle despite its huge economic potential.
He said coffee farmers in Ghana lack inputs, fertilizers, and machines to enhance yield and efficiency in production.
He emphasized that the Coffee sector has the potential to generate income of 10 billion annually for the country if the needed support is given.
“Even though the processing of coffee is easier and requires less capital for its processing as compare to cocoa, also coffee can generate an income of over 10 billion annually for the country, coffee being the second valuable commodity to crude oil and its nutritional value for human health should motivate we us a country to invest in its production and processing,” he said.
He continued “coffee is a natural beverage which requires no addition of other ingredients to process it, so it does not harm the body, coffee consumption should be advertised so that the youth of today who are much more interested in making alcoholic drinks which end up damaging their bodies begin to consume coffee”.
This was revealed during a six-day intensive training program on roasting and cupping coffee for both Ghanaians and major players from neighboring West African countries at CRIG, New Tafo in the Eastern region.
Chief Nathaniel Ebo- Nsarko regretted that though coffee is largely produced in Africa, it is mostly consumed in Asia and Europe.
“Currently there is a deficit of about 30% in coffee consumption in the country, and therefore it provides a golden opportunity for both roasters and coffee farmers to work hard to expand the number of farms that they have to meet the deficit as it were. we are so happy that his Excellency the president of the Republic of Ghana has shown some interest in the Coffee and has actually put a benchmark that he wants 2 billion US dollars as a benchmark to COCOBOD to in the next five years to be recorded to GDP contribution to coffee”
A philosopher and also an agriculturist Dr. Akuamoah Boateng who is into exporting coffee decried the low consumption of coffee among Ghanaians threatens the sector.
He wants the government to help create awareness to encourage patronage of coffee consumption and its health benefits.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
