Keta, Nov 13, GNA – A Hi-Tech Vegetable Processing Plant would soon be established by the government in the Keta District to process vegetables to offset the perennial post-harvest loses. The multi-purpose equipment acquired under the Rural Enterprise Development Project has the capacity for processing 15,000 metric tons of shallots, 900 metric tons of tomato and 240 metric tons of pepper. Mr Edward Ahiabor, the new Keta District Chief Executive, who announced this at this year’s Keta District Farmers Awards Day on Friday at Dzelukope, said vegetable production in the area has shot up with more farmers using tube well irrigation in upland areas in addition to the lagoon areas.
He said 1,000 hectares of land is currently under irrigation in the depressions along the lagoon and near the coast and another 500 under tube well irrigation in the upland area.
In all, 15 farmers and fishermen and two institutions were presented with awards with the overall District Best Farmer going to Mr Sam Kwame Adisenu, 44.
He received a bicycle, a knapsack sprayer, a full piece wax print, a pair of Wellington boots, a wall clock, cutlasses and a bottle of sulphur insecticide and a certificate.
The remaining 14 winners received cutlasses, pairs of Wellington boots, wall clocks, wax prints and cutlasses.
The DCE said the district has also received from the government two-cassava processing machines, a cassava grater, a double screw press, a solar dryer for pepper, cassava chips and ginger production to increase agro-business to increase incomes to alleviate poverty in the district.
Mr Ahiabor said fish production in the district this year has also gone up. Lagoon fishing produced 6,000 metric tons mainly of shellfish and shrimps, while the sea fishing yielded 9,379 metric tons.
Source: GhanaWeb
