Ghana Protein Limited is a Tema-based Fish meal producer that rode on the wings of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) to help add value to waste churned out daily by the several canneries located in the industrial city. Ama Amankwah Baafi visited the facility and reports
Ghana Protein Limited (GPL) produces fish meal in commercial quantities using fully mechanical system. Within 30 minutes, fish waste goes through a milling system and it is quickly bagged ready to feed animals.
Ghana Protein is sandwiched by most of the canneries in Tema so it can feed on the waste from these canneries, which serves as its raw material. It took one of the investment drives by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) to attract GPL to the country.
During a GRAPHIC BUSINESS visit to the company’s premises, the Head of Administration and Accounts, Mr Anthony Adu-Nketia, recounted officials of the GIPC during a visit to Cote d’Ivoire witnessed a model company of GPL processing fish waste and found it very impressive as it was of quality and of international standard.
Hence, a request was made for the company to replicate the feat in Ghana. That, he said, culminated into the procurement of a 25-acre land from Tema Development Corporation on which they subsequently built a 350-tonne fish meal plant.
“So technically speaking with this capacity of fish meal plant, Ghana can be self sufficient in fish meal production and possibly export to other countries to earn foreign investment,” he stated.
GPL registered as a body corporate under the laws of Ghana in the year 2000, but it was not until September 2007 that it completed all installation works on the site. Test production therefore commenced the same month, while commercial production began in January 2008.
GPL employs the most scientific and hygienic means of production including boiling to kill pathogens, as well as the separation of water from the oil that paves the way for the oil to be used for other things such as omega 3 oils.
Then after pressing, the preparation is dried in an oven and then goes through a milling machine after which it is bagged.
“So within 30 minutes, the raw fish you see with blood is bagged for use,” Mr Adu-Nketia explained.
A 50 kg GPL fish meal contains 60 per cent protein, seven per cent moisture, 18 per cent ash, 10 per cent fat, seven per cent calcium and one per cent salt. They are salmonella and aflatoxin free.
GPL attributed its success to poultry farmers in the country, who he said, accounted for about 95 per cent of their clients. They come from Dormaa Ahenkro in the Brong Ahafo Region, who before GPL came in bought fish meal from Cote d’Ivoire.
In collaboration with Ranaan Fish Feed, a renowned feed producer in Israel, GPL has set up of a fish pellet plant. Hitherto, Ranaan was producing and exporting to Ghana.
“As we speak, they are buying from us after they visited our plant in 2009. And you know the standards in Israel are just as that of US and Europe,” he explained.
GPL believes it has a great future in the country, as its turnover has since inception been rising steadily and now sits in the region of GH₵4.7 million annually.
In spite of these achievements, management of GPL knows they are producing far below capacity as Mr Adu-Nketia intimated “even in the event of producing 10 per cent of our capacity, we have employed 50 people.”
Yet, Mr. Adu-Nketia said accessing raw material averaging about 360 tonnes of fish waste at capacity to process had been challenging, particularly with so called permit granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to individuals to dry fish waste on bear ground.
“We thought that producing unwholesome fish meal as a country was not good so we brought in this five million dollar investment to solve that. But why should we accept fish meal dried on the bear ground as our basic standard,’’ he questioned.
According to him, people engaged in ‘local’ production collect the fish waste, put it in the sun during which birds feed on it, decompose and turn into maggots and wait on for decomposition to take place and as the sun warm up it gets dry up. They then take it to a milling point and afterwards sell.
“So they are only processing fish waste that is decaying. Virtually all the pathogens that came with it are still in there. Mind you it is only when you process fresh that you can get the right protein and fish meal is determined by how rich it is in protein and how it is not contaminated with E. coli or salmonella,” he stated.
He described as unfortunate the situation where some callous local feed producers go further to add sand and some saw dust to the feed before they sell to the unsuspecting farmers.
“Eventually when you process fish waste under such circumstances, before the decaying set in there are high histamine levels and it means you have a bad fish meal that when the birds eat it will affect them. They will have stunt growth, they will not lay eggs and even those who will, will lay very small eggs and eventually you have E.coli and salmonella infection in those eggs which is bad for human consumption,” he added.
GPL said though GIPC that promoted the business did it best to ensure they get other sources of supply it was not successful.
The Chief Executive Officer of GPL, Mr Fabrice Pizano, reiterated that the challenges facing GPL were enormous and frustrating, saying, “Even though we feel very much disappointed, I must say we are not discouraged since we still have confidence in the leadership of the country to assist in finding a lasting solution to our problems”.
He appealed to the sector ministries and state regulatory institutions to collaborate with the GIPC to ensure that no investor will ever feel disappointed in investing in Ghana.
“The current situation leaves much to be desire about the existing Ghanaian regulatory institutions and promotion of investment. The president is the first investment promoter and so we are calling on him to intervene and not let entrepreneurs start crying,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, GPL risks collapsing as the its sole supplier of raw materials, Pioneer Food Cannery (PFC), has served notice of its intension to set up its own fish meal plant.
Consequently, PFC will no longer supply GPL fish waste by October 31.
“It means our investment will go off within a period of four years. Then it becomes a very bad investment spectacle for us as a country especially when the raw material is regulated and cannot be imported,” stated Mr. Adu-Nketia.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Receipts from non-traditional exports exceed target
Non-traditional exports have demonstrated once again why attention on it can spur shared growth.
Receipts from non-traditional exports (NTEs) in 2011 recorded US$2.423 billion against the targeted US$1.8 billion.
The figure marks a 48.74 per cent growth over the 2010 earnings of US$1.629 billion, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), has reported.
Announcing the performance of the 2011 NTE in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of the GEPA, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Agyeman, mentioned the 10 leading NTE products as cocoa paste, canned tuna, cocoa butter, cashew nuts and articles of plastics.
The rest are natural rubber sheets, veneers, freshly cut fruits, plywood and fertilisers.
A breakdown of sub-sector performance showed that receipts from agricultural products were US$296.97 million in 2011, US$164.93 million in 2010 and a change of 80.06 per cent.
Revenues from handicrafts grew its 2010 performance by 28.42 per cent from US$2.78 million to US$3.57 million during the period under review, while processed/semi processed exports yielded US$2122.79 million in 2011, US$1461.48 in 2010 and a growth of 45.25 per cent.
For the second time running, earnings from the NTE sector exceeded set targets. Export earnings for 2011exceeded set targets by 33 per cent, while 2010 earnings exceeded targets by 12.3 per cent, rising from a base of US$1.45 billion.
Earlier in 2011, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) through the GEPA introduced a five-year strategic plan to rake in US$5 billion receipts from NTEs by 2015.
Mr Agyeman cautioned that in spite of the growth, the contribution of the NTE sector to the country’s total export fell from 27 per cent in 2010 to 18 per cent in 2011, mainly due to higher gold and cocoa prices on the world market, and the export of crude oil.
“We have now started exporting oil and we need not lose concentration on NTEs to only oil. In fact, it is the wish of the President (Prof John Evans Atta Mills) that it will not happen with our oil find. We must continue to assist GEPA to ensure NTEs do not die after oil discovery. We are doing more but the entire trade sector is also doing better,” he stated.
On the average, the NTE sector has been growing steadily at an annual rate of about 16.4 per cent from 2001 to 2008. In 2009, the sector was hit by the global economic crunch which made earnings to fall by a negative 9.38 per cent from US$1.340 billion in 2008 to US$1.215 billion in 2009.
According to him, the sector contributed 25 per cent of total export revenue and must be taken seriously.
According to the GEPA CEO, Ghana’s non-traditional produce was exported to 146 countries in 2011 and those had been divided into five groups, namely, the European Union (EU), other developed countries, ECOWAS, other African countries and other countries.
The performance of the NTE sector by markets indicated that the EU and ECOWAS markets absorbed 45.72 per cent and 27.04 per cent respectively, as those two markets continue to be the leading markets for Ghana’s NTE products.
Mr Agyeman explained that the Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF) would provide funds to the GEPA to obtain air-conditioned containers to store exhibits, so that goods could be better preserved.
He appealed for a percentage of the oil revenue to go into supporting the development of NTEs.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hannah Tetteh, who graced the launch ceremony, acknowledged the impressive growth in the NTEs, saying this “goes to show that as a government the various interventions and programmes we have embarked on since 2009 are working towards the Better Ghana agenda”.
She said though the production of oil and gas needed much investment in infrastructure, few Ghanaians would benefit from it, hence the need to concentrate on NTEs.
Ms Tetteh charged the GEPA to begin to think of developing a national logistics strategy to reduce bureaucracy of exporting NTEs to the barest minimum.
“We can also demonstrate quality assurance by looking at warehousing for instance. We need more of those to improve export performance,” the trade minister stated.
Receipts from non-traditional exports (NTEs) in 2011 recorded US$2.423 billion against the targeted US$1.8 billion.
The figure marks a 48.74 per cent growth over the 2010 earnings of US$1.629 billion, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), has reported.
Announcing the performance of the 2011 NTE in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of the GEPA, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Agyeman, mentioned the 10 leading NTE products as cocoa paste, canned tuna, cocoa butter, cashew nuts and articles of plastics.
The rest are natural rubber sheets, veneers, freshly cut fruits, plywood and fertilisers.
A breakdown of sub-sector performance showed that receipts from agricultural products were US$296.97 million in 2011, US$164.93 million in 2010 and a change of 80.06 per cent.
Revenues from handicrafts grew its 2010 performance by 28.42 per cent from US$2.78 million to US$3.57 million during the period under review, while processed/semi processed exports yielded US$2122.79 million in 2011, US$1461.48 in 2010 and a growth of 45.25 per cent.
For the second time running, earnings from the NTE sector exceeded set targets. Export earnings for 2011exceeded set targets by 33 per cent, while 2010 earnings exceeded targets by 12.3 per cent, rising from a base of US$1.45 billion.
Earlier in 2011, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) through the GEPA introduced a five-year strategic plan to rake in US$5 billion receipts from NTEs by 2015.
Mr Agyeman cautioned that in spite of the growth, the contribution of the NTE sector to the country’s total export fell from 27 per cent in 2010 to 18 per cent in 2011, mainly due to higher gold and cocoa prices on the world market, and the export of crude oil.
“We have now started exporting oil and we need not lose concentration on NTEs to only oil. In fact, it is the wish of the President (Prof John Evans Atta Mills) that it will not happen with our oil find. We must continue to assist GEPA to ensure NTEs do not die after oil discovery. We are doing more but the entire trade sector is also doing better,” he stated.
On the average, the NTE sector has been growing steadily at an annual rate of about 16.4 per cent from 2001 to 2008. In 2009, the sector was hit by the global economic crunch which made earnings to fall by a negative 9.38 per cent from US$1.340 billion in 2008 to US$1.215 billion in 2009.
According to him, the sector contributed 25 per cent of total export revenue and must be taken seriously.
According to the GEPA CEO, Ghana’s non-traditional produce was exported to 146 countries in 2011 and those had been divided into five groups, namely, the European Union (EU), other developed countries, ECOWAS, other African countries and other countries.
The performance of the NTE sector by markets indicated that the EU and ECOWAS markets absorbed 45.72 per cent and 27.04 per cent respectively, as those two markets continue to be the leading markets for Ghana’s NTE products.
Mr Agyeman explained that the Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF) would provide funds to the GEPA to obtain air-conditioned containers to store exhibits, so that goods could be better preserved.
He appealed for a percentage of the oil revenue to go into supporting the development of NTEs.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hannah Tetteh, who graced the launch ceremony, acknowledged the impressive growth in the NTEs, saying this “goes to show that as a government the various interventions and programmes we have embarked on since 2009 are working towards the Better Ghana agenda”.
She said though the production of oil and gas needed much investment in infrastructure, few Ghanaians would benefit from it, hence the need to concentrate on NTEs.
Ms Tetteh charged the GEPA to begin to think of developing a national logistics strategy to reduce bureaucracy of exporting NTEs to the barest minimum.
“We can also demonstrate quality assurance by looking at warehousing for instance. We need more of those to improve export performance,” the trade minister stated.
Appiah's legacy in Turkey lingers on
The former captain of the national team, the Black Stars, Stephen ‘Leroy’ Appiah can, no doubt, be described as a worthy ambassador for Ghana.
This is because it has been established that during the period that he played professional soccer in Turkey, he lifted high the flag of Ghana both on the field and in his private life.
A visit to the country revealed that the average Turkish does not know much about Ghana, and for that matter Africa, but for the exploits of Stephen during his days at Fenerbahçe.
Though Appiah left Turkey almost a decade ago, it was obvious he left a lasting impression and a memorable legacy. Whenever one identified himself/herself as a Ghanaian in Turkey, one is easily associated with that football legend under who reign as the Captain of the Black Stars, Ghana first qualified for the World Cup and to crown it, left a lasting impression on the minds of football fans globally.
“I like Appiah from Ghana. He used to play well for my team,” said Alors, 25. Perhaps, if we want to market Ghana, we can use Appiah and his exploits in Turkey.
Appiah was transferred from Juventus to Turkish giants Fenerbahçe in July 2005 for €8million. He went on to win the Turkish Super League Championship with the club in their centenary year.
Midfielder Appiah joined Fenerbahçe in a four-year deal with an option for an additional year. He went to Fenerbahçe after a successful campaign with Italian side Juventus. He made 65 appearances for Fenerbahçe but missed most of the 2007-2008 season with a knee injury.
Appiah was a strength in the midfield for Fenerbahçe and contributed to the team’s 2006-2007 Turkcell Super Lig championship, the 17th in club history. He netted 15 goals for Fenerbahçe.
However, Appiah was left off the Fenerbahçe squad for the second half of the 2007-2008 season to allow him to recover from his injury. His injury also forced him to miss the 2008 African Cup of Nations Tournament which was hosted by Ghana.
He began his career with Ghana Club Hearts of Oak, won the U-17 FIFA World Championship with Ghana in 1995 and finished fourth in the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1997.
Appiah has a charity organization called the “StepApp Foundation” and recently introduced a line of clothing and shoes by the same name.Turkish Do & Co is a catering company that operates in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey which forms the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart.
Turkish Airlines gears up for business
TURKISH Airlines, one of the airline companies operating in the country, is restructuring its flight capacity in response to growing demands for its services in Africa.
As part of the restructuring, the airline commenced daily flights from Accra to Istanbul on June 5 this year. It was initially flying four times a week from Ghana to Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines has also started flying to Abidjan, bringing to two the number of new destinations it has added to its routes in recent times. The other route is Kigali, Rwanda.
The Managing Director of Turkish Airlines Ghana, Mr Engin Akbas, said in an interview in Turkey that the company was also working at increasing its flight capacity in Abuja and Kano, both in Nigeria.
He said the decision to fly daily from Ghana to Istanbul was as a result of the good business climate in the country.
He spoke to the paper during a familiarisation tour to Turkey organised by the airline for its travel and tour agents. The event was to help update the knowledge and skills of the airlines’ agents to enable them market its services to the public.
Mr Akbas said Turkish Airlines was aiming at increasing its presence in the continent to help meet the growing needs of its clients within.
The company currently flies to 20 destinations in Africa. The plan, according to the MD was to increase that figure to 23 by the end of 2012.
“Our target now is to cover Africa. We have chosen Africa over other continents because we have realised that Africa is now growing and that, it is the best place to do business now”, he said.
He also disclosed that the airline was making arrangements to introduce cargo flights in addition to the passenger ones,following the high demand for such services on the continent.
He said Turkish Airlines’ resort to professionalism in the areas of catering and general flight attendance had won it numerous clients across the continent and hoped that their customer base will increase in the coming years.
The Commercial Manager of Turkish Airlines Ghana, Mr Umit Turşin, said the trip was to help expose the agents to Turkey “so that they can market it well”.
“Most Ghanaians are not properly aware of Turkey and the few that do, do not know more about the country. Most people think it is an Arab or Asian country but we can begin to clear people’s mind that it is centered in Europe. Turkey is like a bridge”, he explained to the agents during the visit.
As part of the restructuring, the airline commenced daily flights from Accra to Istanbul on June 5 this year. It was initially flying four times a week from Ghana to Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines has also started flying to Abidjan, bringing to two the number of new destinations it has added to its routes in recent times. The other route is Kigali, Rwanda.
The Managing Director of Turkish Airlines Ghana, Mr Engin Akbas, said in an interview in Turkey that the company was also working at increasing its flight capacity in Abuja and Kano, both in Nigeria.
He said the decision to fly daily from Ghana to Istanbul was as a result of the good business climate in the country.
He spoke to the paper during a familiarisation tour to Turkey organised by the airline for its travel and tour agents. The event was to help update the knowledge and skills of the airlines’ agents to enable them market its services to the public.
Mr Akbas said Turkish Airlines was aiming at increasing its presence in the continent to help meet the growing needs of its clients within.
The company currently flies to 20 destinations in Africa. The plan, according to the MD was to increase that figure to 23 by the end of 2012.
“Our target now is to cover Africa. We have chosen Africa over other continents because we have realised that Africa is now growing and that, it is the best place to do business now”, he said.
He also disclosed that the airline was making arrangements to introduce cargo flights in addition to the passenger ones,following the high demand for such services on the continent.
He said Turkish Airlines’ resort to professionalism in the areas of catering and general flight attendance had won it numerous clients across the continent and hoped that their customer base will increase in the coming years.
The Commercial Manager of Turkish Airlines Ghana, Mr Umit Turşin, said the trip was to help expose the agents to Turkey “so that they can market it well”.
“Most Ghanaians are not properly aware of Turkey and the few that do, do not know more about the country. Most people think it is an Arab or Asian country but we can begin to clear people’s mind that it is centered in Europe. Turkey is like a bridge”, he explained to the agents during the visit.
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