Jospong Group aims to boost local rice production; signs MoU with Thai EXIM Bank
Executive Chairman of JGC with Vice President of Exim Bank-Thailand, Madam Draswan Shoowong
The Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) has responded positively to the government’s decision to boost rice production in the country by signing MoUs with major rice players in Thailand.
Presenting the 2023 Budget in Parliament last week, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, said that as part of efforts to promote exports, the government will expand the productive capacity in the real sector of the economy and actively encourage the consumption of locally produced rice, poultry, vegetable oil and fruit juices, ceramic tiles among others.
The MoUs initialed by the Executive Chairman of JGC, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, who led a delegation from his outfit to Thailand, will facilitate the establishment of Seed Development and Research Centre, Rice Mechanisation Centres, Bio-organic Fertiliser Production Centres, Supply of Farm Implements and Rice Mills in Ghana.
The completion of the above facilities will help boost rice production in the country and drastically reduce its importation.
According to the JGC, the first batch of the technical team from Thailand will arrive in Ghana in December, this year.
The agreements follow a visit to Thailand by a team from JGC led by its Executive Chairman, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong.
The team was in Thailand to understudy the Thai rice sector in order to replicate their experiences and strategy in Ghana.
The intention of Jospong Group of Companies is to partner with major rice industry players in Thailand to provide technical and equipment support for the entire rice value chain in Ghana with the aim of producing rice for the local and export market.
The JGC delegation was supported by the High Commissioner of Ghana in Malaysia in charge of Thailand and other South-East Asian countries, H.E Mrs. Florence Akonor,
In her remarks, the High Commissioner indicated that the rice project marks another level of bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Ghana for mutual benefits.
