Ernest Akwasi Appiah, MD, AMG
AGRICULTURAL MANUFACTURING Group (AMG), the largest local owned manufacturer and distributor of fertilizers in the country, is positioning itself to expand its operations and compete globally by exporting more of its products.
The company, which is currently exporting 45-50 per cent of their products to neighboring countries, wants to increase its export supply to 70 per cent.
It is in pursuit of this goal that the company is working on a partnership with Ecobank Group, a move which can trigger a stronger long-term relationship for the fertilizer industry and help to ensure a reliable supply of fertilizers to assist the country’s agriculture goals.
Managing Director of Ecobank, Dan Sackey, recently took a tour of AMG’s modern factory at Kpone in the Greater Accra region.
Managing Director of AMG Fertilizers, Ernest Akwasi Appiah, in a comment, said patronage of fertilizer in Ghana was increasing; which indicated there was good market for the products locally and good export potential.
“The consumption of fertilizer in Ghana for the farmers is over 1.3 million metric tons. It is going up every day; there is also a good export market and we do not add that to the local consumption figures. Each and every, day my company finds satisfaction in also providing small scale and large-scale farmers with a crop nutrition product that guarantees them high yields, through the adaptation of cheaper but very cost-effective crop nutrition combinations.” Mr. Appiah said.
He mentioned that some US$15-16 million of the company’s capital had been invested in building the factory and the hope was to get some more funds to expand.
The company currently plays a key role in the manufacturing and distribution of fertilizers for cocoa farmers across the country; its flagship product, Cocoa Nti fertilizer, is a household name in cocoa-growing communities.
Mr Sackey encouraged the company to focus on measures to expand its tentacles outside Ghana.
He said the bank was ready for a partnership which would also offer the company the opportunity to work with other Ecobank branches across Africa.
“I believe that the export market is huge and it is available for you to take advantage. If you can find a local dealer in the neighboring countries, we are good to go. There are farmers who are ready to buy fertilizers in the francophone countries; the good thing is that because their soil is not as rich as ours, they are natural fertilizer users, they know. Without fertilizers, they find it difficult farming, so that market is big. If you have the capacity to go into the market it would be good business.
“We have to find ways to work together and see how you can get into that market on a more sustained basis,” Mr. Sackey added.
A business desk report