COCOBOD has begun requesting proposals from local businesses that can produce and supply jute bags.
‘Interest must come from the people who want to do that business. They should send a business plan’ its spokesperson Noah Ameyah told Citi Business News.
It follows a directive from the President, John Mahama, during the state of the nation address for COCOBOD to acquire jute bags locally.
COCOBOD currently imports all its jute bags.
The directive if implemented is expected to develop the local industry.
Despite having the capacity for growth, Ghana’s jute industry suffered a plunge during the 1990s after the collapse of the Kumasi Jute Factory which was established in 1960.
Jute which is derived from a plant called “kenaf” is used in the production of sacks and fibre bags used for packaging goods and commodities for export among others.
Large scale production of the crop has however been limited largely to the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and parts of the Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo regions.
Spokesperson for COCOBOD, Noah Ameyah tells Citi Business News his outfit is ready to do businesses with entities that will have the capacity to produce and also meet the necessary standards.
‘COCOBOD must convince itself that it is a laudable plan and that it fits into our operations before the go ahead is given. This is because the cocoa will not be able to wait for jute bags, the jute bags must wait for the cocoa.”
According to Noah Ameyah, “even before the president made the statement, people had shown interest from time to time. Some come and fail in the deliverables. Others come, look at the terrain and move out.”
“This is a challenge that has been thrown to the Ghanaian business community and we expect that they will take up the challenge for the production of the jute bags” he added.
By: Anim Kwaku Boadu/citifmonline.com/Ghana