Sugar Cane Out-Growers Give Government One-Week Ultimatum Over Procurement Plans

ugar cane out-growers have given the government a one-week ultimatum to engage members and explain arrangements to procure their sugar cane for the factory in Komenda.

National Executives, led by their National Chairman Samuel Mensah, held an emergency press conference to express their strong disapproval of the government's decision to import semi-refined sugar for the operation of the facility without first engaging them.

They have also called on the Minister for Trade and Industry to explain the decision and outline how they plan to buy their sugar cane to complement the imported semi-refined sugar.

Read also: [Komenda Sugar factory to be leased to Indian firm for 15 years – K.T. Hammond]

This comes after the Minister, K.T. Hammond, announced plans by the government to lease the Komenda Sugar Factory to West African Agro Limited, an India-based firm, for a renewable term of 15 to 20 years.

According to the agitated out-growers, if the government fails to engage with them, they will mobilize their members to campaign against the ruling government.

The Secretary of the group, Nana Andoh VI, who also spoke, said that as sugar cane out-growers, they were expecting the government to purchase the sugar cane already in the system while considering the importation of semi-refined sugar to complement what local farmers are producing.

They also hoped for large-scale sugar cane plantations to feed the factory.

He went on to express their disappointment that the government has failed to support farmers in growing more sugar cane under the government's Planting for Food policy.

According to him, the government has failed the entire country.