Government should rejuvenate the cotton industry

The farmers have urged the Government to establish a Fund to provide medium and long term credit to them to expand the support base for agricultural production. It should be for land acquisition, credit assistance, supply of inputs and provision of food storage facilities nationwide jointly managed by Farmers' Associations for the benefit of their members.

Mr Philip Abayori, President of the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association, made the call at a farmers' forum at Wa in the Upper West Region. The forum, the first of its kind by the Association in the region, deliberated on issues affecting agricultural production, marketing, storage, finance and other problems confronting farmers.

Mr Abayori said the Association was to hold discussions with the Government on how to rejuvenate the Cotton Industry in the country. He noted that the industry had almost collapsed in the country and said that while Burkina Faso exported 825,000 metric tonnes last year, Ghana produced only 6,000 tonnes.

Mr Abayori observed that the industry provided a very fertile avenue for employment and increased family Incomes in the three Northern Regions in the past and regretted that its demise had contributed significantly to the poverty in the area. The government should sell the 48% shares it wishes to offload to farmers and fisherman only.