12/07/2012 (Ghanaian Chronicle) - The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, has announced that Ghana needs $157 million to develop the country’s tree crop sector in the next five years.

To this end, a strategic tree crops policy has been developed to help the country achieve its dream in the tree crop-sector.

Mr. Awhoi made this known at the launch of the oil palm master plan and the tree crops policy in Accra yesterday.

He was optimistic that the policy would be supported by the private sector, especially farmers, Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs), small scale processors, investors and development partners.

According to him, the tree crops policy provides a complete and holistic approach designed to support the tree crops value-chains. It is also developed by the Ghana government to maintain the tree crops sub-sector.

The Minister told the participants at the well-attended launch that the policy defines the objectives, vision and strategies to support the development of the tree crops sub-sector, and has been designed for use by all stakeholders of the tree crop sub-sector.

The sector Minister stated that the development of the policy to support the tree crops sub-sector was based on the analysis of the key role played by the tree crops in Ghana’s economy.

The success of the cocoa sub-sector is an indication that a well-developed and coordinated tree crops sub-sector can contribute significantly to the economic growth of the country. The tree crops in Ghana consist of oil palm, rubber, coffee and kola, among others.

Oil palm master plan
Mr. Awhoi thanked the Agence Française de Development (AFD) for granting financial support for the development of the oil palm master plan.

He noted that the global demand for oil seeds have increased and the demand for vegetable oil is forecasted to grow by more than 40% over the next ten years.

He added that among the 17 major vegetable oils traded on the international market, palm oil is the most sought after, and the demand for it has grown internationally, regionally and domestically, due to the high consumption level of palm oil, so there is the need to increase oil palm production in Ghana.

Over the next 15 years, the Oil Palm Master Plan hopes to create several oil palm nucleus estates and processing mills to be situated in regional areas, while also proposing the expansion of cooking oil, soap, synthetic lubricants and margarine, in the light of their high demand, Mr. Ahwoi disclosed.

He further revealed that tax incentives would be given to existing companies which manufacture products from palm oil, so that they are able to expand their facilities to rural areas.