Is a palm oil processing plant necessary in Ghana?
Palm oil is one of the major sources of edible oil. It is extracted from a fleshy mesocarp of the palm fruit. Setting up a palm oil production plant isnecessarysince global demand is on the rise. But there are many requirements for setting up a palm oil processing plant in Ghana which demands a feasibility study.
How many oil palm trees are there in Ghana?
GOPDC’s oil palm plantations in Ghana cover approximately 1860000 trees, spread over a radius of 30 km at the Kwae and Okumaning estates in the Eastern Region. About 13000 ha of these plantations have been developed for around 6000 outgrowers.
How big is the palm oil industry in Ghana?
Using a per capita BOD loading of 54 gBOD/day (Von Sperling 2007) and average daily wastewater production of 474 l for small-scale palm oil processing mills in Ghana, the population equivalent (PE) for the small-scale industry is about 200 inhabitants.
Is Ghana a good place to grow palm oil?
The region is one of the most suitable areas for oil palm cultivation. Ghana is noted to be the third major palm oil producing country in Africa, and the sector plays an important role in rural livelihoods and local economic development.
Does Ghana import palm oil?
As noted by Makafui, though Ghana’s palm oil production is said to have increased over the decades, the country is a net importer of palm oil. In 2021, the value of palm oil imported by Ghana was $289million as against an export value of $78.1million. This calls for urgent attention to address the challenges in the sector.
How many palm oil processing units are there in Ghana?
Available data indicates that there are more than 400 small-scale palm oil processing units in Ghana (Fold and Whitfield 2012) most of which are sited in small towns and rural communities.