OLAM imports 30,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer into Ghana

OLAM Ghana Limited (OGL) has imported 30,000 metric tonnes (mts) of fertilizer to support the Fertiliser Subsidy Programme (FSP) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).

This is expected to help farmers increase their rate of fertilizer application and increase crop productivity and production.

The import will also improve the supply and access of small scale farmers to subsidized fertilizers to ensure food security.

“Ghana has one of the lowest rates of fertilizer application in sub-Saharan Africa and OLAM sees this as an opportunity to partner government to increase the rate of fertilizer application in the country to increase farmers’ ability to produce more food to feed millions of Ghanaians.” OLAM Country Head, Amit Agrawal said in a statement issued in Accra yesterday.

He pointed out that fertilizer use was not an end in itself, rather it was a means of achieving increased food production.

“Increased agricultural production and food availability can, in turn, be seen as an objective for the agricultural sector in the context of contributing to the broader macroeconomic objectives of Ghana,” he said.

Mr Agrawal said “With our presence and sourcing strength at all the manufacturing countries, Olam promises to ensure the best international quality of fertilizers to the farmers of Ghana.”

OLAM, he said, sees this as a strategic move in consolidating its relationship with farmers and government’s efforts in addressing the food security concerns of the country by supplying high quality fertilizers to MoFA under the FSP for onward distribution to thousands of farmers dotted across the length and breadth of Ghana.

OLAM is a leading global supply chain manager and processor of agri- commodities and has presence in 65 countries with 24 countries in Africa alone. Olam has made significant investments in Africa with over 30 manufacturing facilities including a $1.3 billion fertilizer plant in Gabon.

Source: The Ghanaian Times