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Ghana targets 100,000MT of coffee production

In 2009, coffee production recorded its lowest production of 1,140MT. Coffee production was however at its peak in the mid-1960s, hovering around 6,700MT.

 

Ghana's main export revenue comes from three sources: gold, cocoa and oil.

Coffee production was at its peak in the mid-1960s, hovering around 6,700MT. However, in 2009, coffee production recorded its lowest production of 1,140MT.

"As part of efforts to diversify sources of national revenue as well as provide additional income to farmers, the Government, through the Ghana Cocoa Board, intends to increase Ghana’s annual coffee production from the current level of about 6,000 metric tonnes to 100,000 metric tonnes in the short to medium term," president Mahama said in his State of the Nation Address.

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"Government support for COCOBOD’s Pilot Coffee Rehabilitation Project instituted in 2010 resulted in a gradual increase in production to 6,000 metric tonnes by 2015," he said

President Mahama said his administration is promoting coffee cultivation in areas considered as marginal for cocoa production.

"Parts of the Volta, Eastern, Central and the transitional areas of Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions such as Techiman, Wenchi, Bechem, Nkoranza, Atebubu, Kwame Danso, Drobo, Akomadan, Offinso, Jamasi, Mampong-Ashanti, Kete Krachi, Dambai are being targeted for aggressive promotion of the cultivation of coffee. "

In addition, he said the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana has developed high-yield varieties of coffee that, under good management, start bearing in 2-3 years after planting, with average yields of 2- 3 metric tons per hectare.

"With a projected planted area of 100,000 hectares over the next six years, it is estimated that from 2021, about 100,000 metric tonnes of coffee can be produced annually which will subsequently increase to about 200,000 metric tonnes over the next decade," he said.

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Five million improved, early maturing and high yielding coffee seedlings are being raised and supplied to farmers, Mahama said.

"This number will be substantially increased annually to ensure that we achieve the 100,000 hectares of coffee farms in the targeted locations by 2021," he said. "The efforts being made to increase coffee production will be backed with readily available marketing channels for farmers."

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