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Tamale, Ghana – There is a wind of progress blowing across the agricultural sector of Ghana as one of the leading importers of farm machinery in the country, A & G Agromechanical Industries Limited, is set to open a modern tractor assembling plant in Tamale.
Lack of local agricultural engineers and an assembling plant largely accounts for the many broken down farm implements across the country which have remained unserviced and abandoned.
But A & G Agromechanical Industries Limited in partnership with Agromaster, a Turkish based manufacturer of farm machinery have decided to tackle the issue of broken down tractors and lack of spare parts which are a headache to Ghanaian farmers.
The objective, according to President and Chief Executive Officer of A & G Agromechanical Industries Limited, Thomas Abanga, is to serve the needs of farmers in the country and the West African sub-region.
Speaking in an interview with Savannahnews during a recent visit by a delegation from Agromaster to Ghana, Mr. Abanga said the tractor assembling plant would also serve as an innovative training centre for farmers to learn how to maintain tractors and other related farm implements.
“Farmers will also have the opportunity to learn good agronomic practices and modern farming techniques in land preparation for the cultivation of various crops”, he said, adding that, “barring any last minute hitch, the plant is expected to start operating in the middle of 2018”.
Vice General Manager of Agromaster, Mehmet Aslantas who led a team from Turkey to Ghana, said the two companies were very committed to ensuring increased agricultural production in order to improve upon the income levels of farmers.
“In order to ensure improved incomes of farmers there is the need for us to ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of farm implements, hence the building of this assembling plant in Ghana”, he explained.
Mr. Mehmet also expressed hope that, with the establishment of the assembling plant, there would be transfer of technology from Turkey to equip local farmers with knowledge to boost their farming business for increased productivity.
The Director of Agricultural Engineering Services at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Belarkpeng Deyang, commended A & G Agromechanical Industries Limited and their partners for the vision to establish an assembling plant.
“This initiative will definitely lead to a reduced cost of farm implements like tractors and their accessories so that farmers can afford”, he indicated.
Mr. Deyang also expressed optimism that the era of tractors and other farm implements breaking down frequently on farms was over since farmers could now get access to spare parts at affordable prices compared to imported ones.
A & G Agromechanical Industries Limited is the sole distributor of Agromaster farm implements in Ghana and the West African market.
It is also specialized in other agricultural services including land preparation for every crop type for improved moisture in soils, weeds control and yields.
During the 2017 farming season, the company’s subsidiary, Abanga Farms, cultivated 1,200 acres of rice, the largest acreage ever to be cultivated by an individual or organization in Northern Ghana. It plans to double the size of the rice farm up to 6000 acres this year when the rainy season begins.
