Samuel Avaala, General Manager of Benso Oil Palm Plantation Limited (BOPP), has called on government and policy makers to review policies on oil palm production to create a favourable business environment.

This, according to him, would enable the private sector and government to collaborate to make the oil palm industry compete with the cocoa industry to create wealth for rural communities and also boost the economy.

Mr Avaala made the call at a durbar during which 34 workers, 13 independent palm fruit suppliers and communities, and eight smallholder farmers received various awards in recognition of their meritorious services to the company.

Giving instances of some bottlenecks in the industry, he said the company paid GHC1 million  for domestic energy alone this year whereas  the company's  direct cost of processing a tonne of fresh fruit  bunch was about seven dollars, the corresponding indirect cost was about 10 dollars.

To this end, the company would from next production year begin to pay a 12.5 percent corporate tax.

He quizzed “Is this not high cost of doing business in Ghana?”

Mr Avaala said though Ghana was a net importer of crude palm oil with a climatic condition suitable for cultivation of oil palm, there were challenges with land acquisition coupled with non-existence of suitable long term and patent capital for agriculture, particularly tree crops.

He, therefore, appealed to traditional rulers, district assemblies, development partners and other stakeholders to address this problem so that investors through BOPP could expand nucleus estate and smaller holders and out grower schemes.

He said for the past three years, the company has paid a total of GH¢26.3 million in purchasing fruits from small holders and out growers and transporters in the Western and Central Regions and this could be significantly increased if more land was made available for development.

Touching on successes chalked, he said between January and November, this year, the company processed 100,936 metric tonnes of fresh fruit bunches compared to 89,681 metric tonnes processed in the same period last year, representing a 12.5 percent.

For corporate social responsibilities, Mr. Avaala said the company has awarded scholarships to a total of 44 students in the catchment area and children of employees at the second cycle and tertiary levels, bringing to 246 beneficiaries since the inception of a scholarship scheme in 2007.

He announced that the company, which would celebrate its 40th anniversary this year, was adjudged leader in agriculture and agribusiness in Ghana at this year's Ghana Investment Promotion Centre's Club 100 awards.

 –GNA