Akuapem area to be a coffee enclave

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By
Edmund Quaynor/ Francis Duku-Boateng, GNA

Akropong-Akuapem (E/R),
Jan. 21, GNA – The Akuapem North Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Dennis Aboagye
has called on the members of the Akuapem Coffee Growers Association(ACGA)to
cooperate with Asili Coffee Purveyors Limited, a coffee processing company and
the Assembly to make the place the largest coffee growing hub.

He urged more
farmers to invest in the growing of coffee as Asili Coffee Purveyors Limited
and COCOBOD were prepared to buy all their produce.

Mr Aboagye was
speaking at the maiden meeting of ACGA at Akropong-Akuapem in the Eastern Region.

Mr Aboagye expressed
appreciation to the plan of Asili Coffee Purveyors Limited  to support farmers to develop 5,000 acres of
coffee farms in the Konkon area and explained that, if the project would
provide employment for three persons per acre, then the project would generate
direct employment for about 15, 000 people in the area.

The Municipal Chief
Executive explained that it was in support of the idea that last year,the
Assembly supported the project with the development of a nursery of 60,000
coffee seedlings.

Mr Owusu Manu,
Director of COCOBOD in-charge of coffee assured the farmers of their support to
develop coffee in the area.

He said COCOBOD had
a responsibility to develop coffee production in the country to the level of
cocoa and they would collaborate with the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly to
train agriculture extension officers to support its production.

Mr John Nana Addo
Francois, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Asili Coffee Purveyors Limited ,
promoters of coffee production in the area said, his company was determined to
provide the needed support to enable them to produce high quality coffee to
attract high price on the international market.

He explained that
the quality of coffee depended on the post-harvest management of the coffee
seeds hence his company was to start investing in infrastructure for a good
post-harvest processing.

Mr Francois urged
the members of the ACGA to vote for leaders who would be committed to ensure
that coffee farmers in the area benefited from their sweat.

GNA