The Food Beverage Association of Ghana is bemoaning the rate at which imported raw materials have displaced locally produced ones, taking over the market.

According to its General Secretary, Sam Aggrey, more support should be given to local researchers to help produce raw materials locally at an affordable rate to aid the industry

Speaking to Joy Business at a press conference ahead of the second edition of the Agritech West Africa exhibition, he stressed on the need to invest in technology within the space to expand their market.

“I think we need to invest more in technology to have our own people do some research instead of importing raw materials every now and then. We know the economy is bad but we need to be fast about it”, he maintained.

On his part, Programs Manager for Croplife Ghana, Kadiri Rashad, called on the Ministry of Finance to expedite processes to ensure tax exemption for agri-input products.

This, he believes will increase productivity and provide food security in the country.

“The huge taxes on agri-input is affecting the operations of small scale farming. So we are pleading with the Ministry of Finance to expedite action on a letter wrote to them by the Agric ministry to exempt taxes on agri-input”, he lamented

The Agritech West Africa with Food & Beverage and FoodPack Tech Ghana exhibition covers the entire value chain of agriculture industry under one roof with about 100 companies exhibiting from India, South Africa, Turkey, Nigeria, Ghana, UK, Italy, France and other countries, representing multiple product segments like agrochemicals, agriculture technology, irrigation, biofeeds, food processing and packaging technologies, food innovation, processed and packed food & beverage items.

The second edition of the Agritech West Africa exhibition, along with Food & Beverage Ghana and FoodPack Tech Ghana exhibitions, will be held from March 15-17, 2023 at Accra International Conference Center.

This will be under the auspices of the Ministry of Food & Agriculture of Ghana and with esteemed support from the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Ghana.

The expo is organised with support from the West African Chamber of Agriculture (WACOA), Croplife Ghana, Ghana Union of Traders Association, Food & Beverage Association of Ghana, Federation of Farmer Organization Network of Ghana, Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters Organization, Guzakuza and many regional farmers’ cooperative and groups etc.