The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has urged Ghanaians to patronize locally produced goods to help grow businesses, create jobs and boost the national economy, as the government reinforces its strategy to position agro-processing as a critical pillar of agricultural transformation.
He said agro-processing remains a “key driver of job creation,” with strong emphasis on “value addition” and improved “market access for farmers,” as the country works to strengthen its agricultural value chain.
Opoku made the call during a visit to P&A African Food International Limited in Accra, where he encouraged stakeholders to “move beyond farming” and invest more in “processing, packaging, storage and distribution” to reinforce efforts aimed at “strengthening Ghana’s agricultural value chain.”
He noted that expanding investment in post-harvest systems is crucial for enhancing efficiency within the sector and ensuring that agricultural production yields broader economic benefits.
The Minister commended P&A African Food International Limited for “transforming locally produced agricultural commodities” into “value-added products” for both “local and international markets,” describing such initiatives as important for deepening industrial activity within the agricultural space.
According to him, agro-processing plays a critical role in “reducing post-harvest losses,” while also contributing to “creating employment” and “increasing farmers’ incomes,” thereby strengthening livelihoods across the agricultural value chain.
Opoku assured the company of government support as it seeks to expand its operations, reaffirming the commitment to creating an enabling environment for private sector growth in agro-industrial development.
