By Elikem Desewu
The Ministry of Trade, Industries and Agribusiness is positioning ‘Feed Industries’ as a central pillar of the government’s 24-Hour Economy policy, with a focus on expanding industrial raw-material supply, sustaining round-the-clock factory operations, creating jobs for young people and boosting exports.
Working in collaboration with relevant ministries, agencies and private-sector partners, the ministry aims to align large-scale agricultural production directly with industrial demand to ensure continuous processing and reduce supply bottlenecks.
As part of the initiative, the State has secured more than 15,000 acres of land in the Central Region, alongside additional tracts in other regions, for a Youth in Exotic Crops and Agro-Industrial Value-Chain Programme.
The scheme is designed to supply factories with consistent, year-round inputs rather than support primary production alone.
Under the Feed Industries framework, agricultural output is structured as an industrial input strategy. The programme is expected to deliver large-scale production of export-grade crops, guarantee steady raw-material flows to processing plants, reduce factory downtime and improve capacity utilisation. It also seeks to shift the country from exporting raw produce to exporting value-added, processed goods.
Priority crops identified under the programme include pineapple, citrus, avocado, mango, coconut, papaya and ginger, among others used in the food, beverage and agro-processing industries.
In the Central Region, the agro-industrial corridor will be anchored by major processors, including Ekumfi Fruit and Juices Ltd and Central Citrus Processing Ltd (CCPL). These firms are expected to serve as off-takers under the Feed Industries model, benefiting from predictable long-term supply arrangements, stable input volumes and pricing, and enhanced competitiveness through sustained 24-hour operations.
The framework also incorporates structured youth participation through contract farming and shared-grower models linked directly to processing plants.
Officials say the programme is projected to generate more than 18,000 direct and indirect jobs for young people across farming, mechanisation, aggregation, processing, logistics, quality control, packaging and exports.
A Youth Agro-Industrial Enclave Model will integrate employment with on-site or near-site accommodation within production and processing zones. The housing component is intended to support shift-based operations, reduce transport costs, improve safety and enhance productivity and worker retention.
The ministry says the initiative will expand raw-material supply for continuous industrial production, create sustainable youth employment, promote import substitution in juices and related food inputs, and increase export earnings from processed agro-industrial products.
The government intends to replicate the Feed Industries-to-24-hour processing model across other regions as part of its broader industrialisation and export growth strategy.
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