Gov’t to waive taxes on agro-processing machinery to reduce cost

…. encourages investment in the sector

By Samuel SAM

Government is committed waiving taxes on agro-processing machinery to reduce costs and encourage investment in the sector, Sampson Ahi Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MOTAI) has said.

This will increase access to technology and modern machinery for agro-processors, enhance productivity and efficiency in agro-processing and stimulate growth and development in the agribusiness sector, he said.

In view of that, government is making conscious efforts to implement a two-pronged strategy to drive agro-industrialisation machinery sufficiency and boost the country’s agribusiness sector                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The sector, represented by George Owusu Ansah Amoah, Director of Research, Statistics and Information Management Directorate (RSIM) at MOTAI, announced this at a Regional Agribusiness Dialogue held in Tamale on the theme ‘Resetting agribusiness for inclusive and sustainable industrial growth is not only timely but also vital for Ghana’s long-term development.

The forum, organised by MOTRATI in collaboration with Agri-Impact Limited with support from Mastercard Foundation, PWC, DBG, among others, brought together industry players, smallholder farmers, researchers, academicians, government agencies, non-governmental orgnisations, among others, to deliberate and share knowledge on ways to improve the sector to boost agribusiness and food security in the country for economic growth.

It was also to obtain and solicit the necessary input and contributions for an inclusive policy that guides and aligns with the industry.

“Over the years, it has been the norm for many industries in Ghana to struggle with low plant capacity utilisation, often operating below 30-40 percent in a single shift, making them uncompetitive; and to reverse this trend and achieve a 24-hour economy in the industrial sector, industries need a significant boost in raw materials supply through sustainable local supply chains,” he said.

He said government was committed to transforming Ghana’s agribusiness sector and unlock the enormous potential of transitioning of the country to a more industrialised one.

The sector is focused on value addition and value extension across various agricultural value chains, with the potential of changing the economic treasures of our dear country, he said.

Programmes Officer at Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Mr. Basiru Musah, said the post-harvest loss recorded by the farmers has been enormous due to lack of storage facilities and bad road networks.

He stressed the need for government to provide incentives for investors who venture the agribusiness infrastructure development.

He also called for the development of irrigational schemes across vantage farming communities to enhance year-round farming to boost food productions, job creations and economic growth.

Chief Executive of Agri-Impact Group Limited, Mr. Dan Acquaye, said providing the enabling environment for the private sector to now invest would help address most of the challenges within agriculture and the agribusiness space.

The purpose of the forum is part of the regional agribusiness dialogue to solicit the knowledge, the concerns, the challenges, the issues in agribusiness that we can put all together to have a transformative policy document, he said.

“We are looking at policy that will bring transformation in the sector. When we are done with the consultations, we will have a policy which will go for validation; and once it is validated, then it can go to cabinet and once cabinet also approves, it becomes a workable document for the industry to use,” he stated.

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