Farmers in the Upper East Region have been admonished to venture into large-scale cultivation of sorghum.
According to a Research Scientist, Peter Asungre with CSIR-SARI Manga station, there is a high demand for sorghum, but farmers in the region are not cultivating enough to meet the ready market.
“So, we are encouraging farmers to make good use of this opportunity and venture into the sector because there are people that are ready to take up whatever quantities that the farmers produce”, he said.
Mr. Asungre who is advocating for the cultivation of sorghum in large quantities indicated that his outfit, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savannah Agriculture Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) has partnered with Faranaya Agribusiness Center Limited, a commercial aggregator of sorghum to produce improved sorghum varieties for its main off-taker, Guinness Ghana Limited, a Ghanaian brewery company that is into the brewery of alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages.
The collaboration he said is funded by 2 SCALE which will link seed growers from Faranaya Agribusiness Center Limited to produce the certified grains.
He said three improved varieties known as Durado, Kapaala, and Pac 501 are cultivated to meet the needs of the brewing company.
Mr. Asungre stated that these varieties have been tested to be varieties that mature early, yield higher, and can withstand drought in climatic environments like that of the Upper East Region.
“As far as climate is concerned, these materials do not require so much or heavy input of fertilizer. Our soils here accommodate it very well, they can grow well on our soil because they do not require as much water as other crops.”
He spoke exclusively to A1 NEWS during a field demonstration for farmers and Agric Officers, which was organized by the Upper East Regional Department of Agriculture.
While allaying one of the fears of farmers, which is aflatoxins, Mr. Asungre said Faranaya Agribusiness Center Limited gives the crop aflasafe before its booting stage to reduce the level of aflatoxins to meet the demand of Guinness Company Limited.
Source:Fiilafmonline/A1Radioonline.
