<p></p><p>The Ghana Cashew Industry Association (GCIA) has launch the first ever cashew season in the country, in Wenchi on the theme "harnessing the economic and climatic benefits of cashew; the strategic non-traditional export commodity".In an opening address the Municipal Chief Executive for Wenchi Honorable Alhaji Hakibu Dauda noted that Ghana has become a force to reckon with in the sub region as far as raw cashew nuts production and export were concern explaining that it produced over 80,000 metric tons of the nuts in 2013 alone which was far ahead of most of its competitors.</p> <p>He commended government as well as other players in the industry especially in the Brong Ahafo region as statistics have proven that the region contributed over 40,000 metric tons in the overall national production.Alhaji Dauda asked stakeholders in the industry to use the launch as a platform to critically examine the challenges that undermine their collective effort to improving the fortunes of the industry.The Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry Mr. Nii lantey Vanderpuije in his speech to launch the season noted that government was committed to supporting the production of the non-traditional export so that it can hit the 200,000 metric tons production it was anticipating within the next cashew season. </p><p>He advised farmers to sell their cashew nuts to the local industry so that they can continually be in business.He noted that his ministry would support cashew production in any way to make it a very viable area to invest and also make it a single most important industry in the country.Hon. Vanderpuije was exceptionally happy and recounted the employment the industry has generated for the people in recent times. </p><p>From there the Minister visited the abandoned TOMACAN (tomatoes) factory with his entourage to inspect it. He said the government was committed to reviving such projects to open job opportunities for its citizenry.He therefore charged the Municipal Assembly to bring documentations on the project so that they will as a matter of urgency plan towards its revival.The chairman of the occasion Nana Kakabo Adinkra II (Acting President) WENCHI Traditional Council called on government to always come out with a fix price for the purchase of cashew at each production season as is done to cocoa and other crops. He said the region was a major production area for the crop and called on investors to come into the region to do business with the farmers.<br></p><p></p>