3rd Africa Palm Oil (Rubber & Cocoa),

13-15 Oct, 2015 - Accra, GHANA

Labadi Beach Hotel

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Minister banner

 

"Investment Climate and Challenges for Plantation Operators in
Current Market Conditions"

 

"Government Incentives and Foreign Investments to Help Boost Smallholders' Yield"

 

Ghana aims to increase palm oil production

- African Farming Wednesday, 29 April 2015

 

Cameroon targets 100 hectares of cocoa farm land with WCF support

- Business in Cameroon Wednesday, 22 April 2015

 

Ghanaian farmers to benefit from cocoa incentives.

- African Farming Monday, 23 March 2015

 

Cameroon plans to use better quality of seeds in its palm oil sector to help raise production of the oil by 26 per cent over the next three years.

- African Farming, Tuesday, 20 January 2015

 

Hardly a year has passed since the Ebola crisis, which has put a dent on the investment climate in African agriculture in general and in the palm oil sector specifically. Although there have been new palm oil companies in both Liberia and Sierra Leone, and talk of more, governments are slowly revitalizing this sector with new incentives and support. Companies that already have a presence continue to soldier on and operate in this challenging business environment.

 

In April this year, Ghana announced plans to become a net exporter of palm oil within 10 years. At the same time the Oil Palm Development Association of Ghana (OPDAG), was launched with the objective to assist the country in achieving its production potential. Comprising of industry players throughout the entire palm oil value chain, the association members will have a huge part to play to collaborate with the government and all stakeholders to make Ghana a net exporter, tackle a number of central problems and hindrances holding the industry back from land acquisition to funding issues.

 

Can comparative yields with those achieved in Southeast Asia be achieved in Africa with growing investment and improved agriculture techniques? Can new specialised planting material suited to the African climate, boost oil yields per hectare? At present, smallholders account for about 70-80% of African oil palm growers. What programs for smallholders are being organised to improve their agriculture systems, and also ensure their social compliance so that International exporters can buy from them with the knowledge that they are engaging in sustainable business practices?

 

There is a gathering pace for palm oil demand from African consumers as the growing middle class drives growth in consumption .The current shortfall in domestic production is met with imports from Asia at a cost in the region of $3bn-$4bn per annum to African countries.

 

Cocoa

Cocoa production in Ghana, the world’s 2nd largest producer has been reported to be weak against expectation for 2014/15. This has been partly due to poor crop protection, insufficient use of fertiliser and a declining cocoa labour force.

This underlines the problem that the global chocolate confectionery sector has -which is its reliance on West African production for some 73% of the annual global crop. With the fragile state of African cocoa production sector -has African cocoa production peaked ?

 

Whatever the challenges, this does not stop big companies like French food company Danone and US-based chocolate manufacturer Mars from investing over US$120 million over the next decade in an investment fund aimed at increasing the productivity of cocoa smallholder farmers in Africa.

  

 

CMT's Palm Oil Africa series

 

CMT is pleased to revive its 3rd Palm Oil series this year, again in Ghana as the government implements a National Palm Oil Program to improve the industry. This 3rd edition expand to Rubber & Cocoa, both exciting crops for Africa with growth potential. CMT's 1st Agriworld conference was held in Accra and was very well attended by over 200 participants, the 2nd Palm Oil Africa conference was held in Gabon, supported by Olam.

 

Rubber

How much has rubber investments in the region been hit? As weakness in the global rubber price drives down revenue and bottomline, operating in current business environment remains challenging. Still companies like GMG , Siat continue to focus on developing their market presence, managing their operating costs and wait for the global natural rubber market conditions to turn favourable.

 

CMT's 3rd AFRICA Palm Oil conference includes Rubber & Cocoa investments have been carefully put together and draws international stakeholders to take part and share latest developments in Africa’s potential in the 3 major crops.

 

Key Highlights include

  • Sustainability in rubber and oil palm plantations of the Siat Group in Africa
  • Olam's sustainable cocoa program and value chain activities in Ghana
  • Boosting Palm Oil Production in Ghana - the role of OPDAG (Oil Palm Development Association in Ghana)
  • Liberia perspective on the oil palm sector and the rubber value chain
  • Helping Small & Medium Scale Farmer increase productivity & profitability in the oil palm sector
  • Cameroon Palm Oil Plantations and the Governments Implementation Program to Improve the industry
  • Development equity and its role in the palm oil sector - AAF's palm oil Investments in Sierra Leone and DRC
  • Upstream and downstream investment opportunities in the rubber industry in Nigeria
  • Developing large scale sustainable plantations in public private partnerships
  • Cocoa and the fragile state of The African Production Sector - Has African Cocoa Production peaked?
  • Rejuvenating Cameroon's cocoa industry - challenges in increasing yield and quality
  • Biomass origination from West Africa from Palm kernel shells & rubber woodchips
  • Latest on Oil Palm Breeding and Disease Resistance
  • Palm Oil Processing Technology in West Africa – Opportunities & barriers

Don't delay your registration. Sign up now.

 

 

 

Optional Site Visit to GOPDC on 13th October 
( 7 am - 5 pm )

 

7:00 am Depart from Labadi Beach Hotel
10:30 am Arrive GOPDC Plantations and Mills
 

Tour facilities for 2-3 hours

Lunch will be provided

1:30 pm Leave GOPDC
5:00 pm Arrive back to Hotel


GOPDC, an integrated agro-industrial company is a subsidiary of SIAT Group.

Its plantation has cultivation of oil palm

- 7,300 ha planted in Kwae & Okumaning Estates (total concession 14,000 ha) - expansion & replanting phase
- 10,000 ha of outgrower farms outside GOPDC concession with about 6,000 farmers

 

And rubber trees

- Started in 2012 with 305 ha as at 2014
- Planting of 224 ha in 2015 and Plans to reach 4000 ha own and 5500 ha Outgrowers by 2020
- Factory coming up in 2019

 

Processing facilities

- 60 mt/h fresh fruit bunch palm oil mill
- 60 mt/day palm kernel oil mill
- 100 mt/day refinery and fractionation plant
- 2 mt/h palm kernel cake pellet plant
- Jerrycan Filling plant was added to GOPDC's industrial in 2012

 

Industry News Be a Sponsor or Exhibitor!

Minister calls for establishment of Palm Oil Dev't Board

 

'Africa to be the next frontier for oil palm'

 

Olam looks to co-invest in Africa

 

This event is an excellent platform to promote your organization to influential players and investors in the industry. Sponsorship opportunities available include Corporate, Exclusive luncheon & Cocktail sponsor.

 

Exhibition / catalogue display can be arranged upon request. Contact fiona@cmtsp.com.sg or (65) 6346 9138

 

Industry News

 

Ghana is a net importer of palm oil which means the country buys more palm oil than it produces.

 

Samuel Awonnea Avaala, President of the Oil Palm Development Association of Ghana (OPDAG) has recently reiterated that Ghana needs to double its palm oil output in the next 10-15 years in order to become self-sufficient and save precious foreign exchange – which is currently used for palm oil imports.

 

Despite favorable natural resources, Ghana struggles to increase palm oil yield because land acquisition poses as a major hurdle.

 

OPDAG plans to promote the oil palm industry in Ghana with strong consulting and advocacy to ensure land acquisition becomes attractive to investors and growers.

 

Samuel has also said that Ghana is flooded with a lot of low quality and sub-standard vegetable oil imports, which is unfair and disadvantageous to the local palm oil industry.

 

These imported oils negatively impact the refining sector and effects all stakeholders along the value chain, that includes farmers as well as all direct/ indirect dependents in the palm oil sector.

 

If appropriate duty is imposed, the palm oil sector will be able to attract investors, especially in the plantations which normally come with associated smallholder and outgrower schemes. This in the long run will increase local production of crude palm oil (CPO) and reduce palm oil imports into the country.

 

Ghana has approximately 10 key plantation companies. But a major chunk of the palm oil industry is formed by the large numbers of smallholders and out-growers. The out-growers in particular account for about 80% of the country’s total palm oil and palm kernel oil production. However, the out-growers are also the least productive in crop yields and lack technical know-how in product quality and extraction rates.

 

An Official Opening Address on ‘Masterplan for Ghana's Agriculture Industry including New Regulations and Policies for Investment’ will be presented by Hon. Minister Fiifi Kwetey, Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Food & Agriculture, Ghana at 3rd Africa Palm Oil (Rubber & Cocoa) Summit on  13-15 October, 2015 in Accra, Ghana. Also speaking at the summit is Samuel Avaala, President of Oil Palm Development Association Ghana (OPDAG) about its role in ‘Boosting Palm Oil Production in Ghana’.

 

Contact Ms. Hafizah at hafizah@cmtsp.com.sg or call +65 6346 9218 for more details.

 

Read more>>>

14 Sep, 2015

 

ACCRA, Ghana, 18 août 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Du 13 au 15 octobre 2015, Accra va accueillir une délégation de propriétaires de plantations, d'agro-commerçants, d'investisseurs et de responsables gouvernementaux qui se réuniront pour exploiter les vastes opportunités commerciales offertes par les trois principales cultures de rente en Afrique – l'huile de palme, le caoutchouc et le cacao.

 

L'honorable ministre Fiifi Kwetey, ministre de l'Agriculture, ministère de l'Alimentation et de l'Agriculture du Ghana, va inaugurer le sommet avec un discours officiel portant sur le « schéma directeur pour le secteur agricole du Ghana qui englobe les nouvelles réglementations et politiques d'investissement ». Il sera accompagné par des acteurs clés des secteurs de l'huile de palme, dont le directeur d'exploitation de Siat Gabon, Gert Vandersmissen, qui exposera les grandes lignes de la « durabilité dans les plantations de caoutchouc et d'huile de palme en Afrique » --, le vice-président d'Olam International, Gurinder Goindi, qui parlera du « programme pour un cacao durable et des activités de la chaîne de valeur au Ghana », ainsi que le président de l'Oil Palm Development Association in Ghana), Samuel Avaala, qui donnera des détails sur « l'encouragement de la production d'huile de palme au Ghana ». Les autres points mis en avant sont :

  • Libéria : le secteur de l'huile de palme et la chaîne de valeur du caoutchouc -- Agro Inc
  • Cameroun : les plantations d'huile de palme et le programme de mise en œuvre des gouvernements pour améliorer le secteur – Ministère de l'Agriculture et du Développement Rural
  • Rajeunir l'industrie du cacao au Cameroun – Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement (IRAD)
  • Gabon : développer les plantations durables à grande échelle dans les PPP (partenariats public-privé) -- Olam Gabon
  • Nigéria : opportunités d'investissement en amont et en aval dans l'industrie du caoutchouc -- Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria
  • Nigéria : une incursion dans l'avenir de la production et du traitement de l'huile de palme -- The Okomu Oil Palm Company
  • Équité du développement et rôle qu'elle joue dans le secteur de l'huile de palme – Investissements en huile du palme de l'AAF (Fonds Africain pour l'Agriculture) en Sierra Leone et en RDC -- Golden Oil Holdings

Le sommet met également l'accent sur les initiatives de Solidaridad West Africa pour les petits et moyens exploitants agricoles du secteur de l'huile de palme, sur les dernières technologies de culture et de résistance aux maladies pour l'huile de palme de PalmElit SAS, sur le concept de nutrition durable des plantes d'ICL Specialty Fertilizers, ainsi que sur les premières centrales de biogaz de grande envergure en Afrique de Biotec International.

 

Parmi les autres présentations d'intérêt, on trouve les observations de Hardman & Co sur le marché du cacao en Afrique et les colloques d'Africa Renewables sur la biomasse en Afrique de l'Ouest, ainsi qu'une visite optionnelle de l'entreprise GOPDC, le 16 octobre 2015.

 

Pendant ce temps-là, Yara Ghana, Olam et ICL Specialty Fertilizers ont rejoint l'évènement en qualité de sponsor Platine, sponsor du dîner de réception et sponsor associé avec l'exposant, respectivement. GRAINE et BIOTEC feront également des présentations sur le sommet.

 

Veuillez visiter le site web de l'évènement ou contacter Mme Hafizah au +65 6346 9218 ou à l'adresse hafizah@cmtsp.com.sg pour obtenir plus de détails.

19 Aug, 2015

 

أكرا، غانا، 18 آب/أغسطس، 2015 / بي آر نيوزواير / -- من 13-15 تشرين الأول/أكتوبر، ستستضيف أكرا مجموعة من مزارعي المزارع والتجار الزراعيين والمستثمرين والمسؤولين الحكوميين معا لاستطلاع الفرص التجارية الهائلة في أفريقيا في المحاصيل النقدية الرئيسية الثلاث – زيت النخيل، المطاط والكاكاو.

 

معالي الوزير فيفي كويتي، وزير الزراعة، وزارة الأغذية والزراعة في غانا سيفتتح قمة أكرا بخطاب رسمي عن 'المخطط الرئيسي للصناعة الزراعية لغانا" Masterplan for Ghana's Agriculture Industry بما في ذلك اللوائح الجديدة وسياسات الاستثمار. وسينضم إليه لاعبون رئيسيون ومن بينهم كبير المسؤولين العملياتيين لسيات غابون غيرت فاندرسميسن الذي سيتحدث عن "الاستدامة في زراعة المطاط وزيت النخيل في أفريقيا"، نائب رئيس شركة الأعمال التجارية الزراعية الرئيسية أولام الدولية المحدودة غرويندر غويندي الذي سيتحدث عن برنامج الكاكاو المستدام وأنشطة سلسلة القيمة في غانا ورئيس رابطة تنمية زراعة زيت النخيل في غانا – صامويل أفالا الذي سيتحدث عن "تعزيز جهود إنتاج زيت النخيل في غانا."

 

ومن بين الأنشطة المهمة الأخرى ما يلي:
• ليبيريا: قطاع زيت النخيل وسلسلة القيمة للمطاط – أغرو إنك
• الكاميرون: مزارع زيت النخيل وبرنامج التنفيذ الحكومي لتحسين الصناعة - وزارة الزراعة والتنمية الريفية
• تجديد تصنيع زراعة الكاكاو في الكاميرون  - معهد البحوث الزراعية من أجل التنمية (إيراد)
• الغابون: تطوير المزارع المستدامة الكبيرة في الشراكات العامة الخاصة - أولام غابون
• نيجيريا: فرص الاستثمار في أعمال الإنتاج والتسويق في صناعة المطاط - معهد بحوث المطاط في نيجيريا
• نيجيريا: القفز إلى مستقبل إنتاج ومعالجة زيت النخيل – شركة أوكومو لزيت النخيل
• تطوير الأسهم ودورها في قطاع زيت النخيل – استثمارات أيه أيه أف في زيت النخيل في سيراليون وجمهورية الكونغو الديمقراطية – غولدن أويل هولنغز

ويسلط المؤتمر الضوء أيضا على مبادرات سوليداريداد في غرب افريقيا للمزارعين الصغار والمتوسطين في قطاع زيت النخيل، وأحدث تقنيات زراعة نخيل الزيت ومقاومة أمراضه لبالم إيليت ساس، ومفهوم تغذية النبتة المستدامة والأسمدة المتخصصة لآي سي أل، وأولى مرافق الغاز البيولوجي لبيوتيك إنترناشيونال في أفريقيا.


ومن المشاركين البارزين في المؤتمر أيضا هاردمان أند كو الذي سيعلق ممثلها على سوق الكاكاو في أفريقيا وشركة أفريكا رنيوبلز" التي سيتحدث ممثلها عن الكتلة الحيوية في غرب أفريقيا فضلا عن زيارة موقع اختيارية لجي أو بي دي سي المقررة يوم 16 تشرين الأول/أكتوبر 2015.

 

وفي الأثناء، انضمت شركات يارا غانا وأولام وآي سي أل إلى المتخصصة في تصنيع الأسمدة المتخصصة الرعاية البلاتينية للقمة ورعاية حفل الاستقبال والراعي على التوالي. ومن بين الشركات العارضة في القمة شركتا غرين وبيوتيك.

 

اطلع على الموقع للحصول على المزيد من المعلومات أو اتصل بالآنسة حفيظة على +65-6346-9218، أو على hafizah@cmtsp.com.sg

19 Aug, 2015

 

Cameroon's government plans to raise the country’s cocoa output to 600,000 tonnes by 2020.

 

In tune with this target, data from National Cocoa and Coffee Board (NCCB) revealed that Cameroon has clocked exports of 188,383 tonnes of cocoa in the cocoa season from August 2014 to May 2015. The amount translates to an approximate 27 percent rise year-on-year.

 

It’s reported that in the month of May, 2015 alone, Cameroon, Africa's fourth-largest cocoa producer, shipped 6,490 tonnes of raw cocoa, which means a 33 percent increase over April's shipment of 4,384 tonnes and a 186 percent increase over last May's haul of 2,268 tonnes.

 

This rise in shipments in May has been contributed by firms like Olam-Cam that led the exports with 2,318 tonnes, followed by Telcar Cocoa Ltd at 1,946 tonnes and Cameroon Marketing Commodities (CAMACO) shipping 451 tonnes.

 

Cameroon's cocoa production calendar spans from August 1 and ends on July 1 with the main harvest season in the period between October to January-February, while there is a light crop harvest period that begins in April-May and ends in June-July.

 

In 2010-2011, Cameroon’s cocoa production recorded a good harvest at 240,000 tonnes. However, the following years have witnessed fluctuations due to pests infestation, crop diseases and a long dry season.

 

The 2013/2014 season witnessed cocoa output at 209,905 tonnes.

 

Dieudonne Abolo, Cocoa and Coffee agronomist Researcher at Institute of Agricultural Research for the Development (IRAD) will share further insights on ‘Rejuvenating Cameroon's Cocoa Industry - Challenges in Increasing Yield and Quality’ at CMT’s 3rd Africa Palm Oil (Rubber & Cocoa) on 14-15 October, 2015 in Accra.

 

Contact Ms. Hafizah at hafizah@cmtsp.com.sg or call +65 6346 9218 for more details.

 

Read more>>>

14 Jul, 2015

Presco Oil Palm plc has recently announced expansion of its palm oil production in Nigeria. It plans to usher in millions of dollars into vegetable refineries and oil mills, in a move to boost Nigeria's local vegetable oil output and enable the nation to achieve self-sufficiency in palm oil.

 

Besides palm oil, Presco also plans to diversify into two major cash crops – cocoa and rubber.

 

To achieve greater yields and quality, Presco has also invested in biotechnology. In fact it has acquired a biotechnology company in Belgium that produces high performing planting materials.

 

For the past ten years, Presco has invested in a genetic bloc of oil palm and after planting for 5 years, they could add 20 tonnes per hectare with an extraction rate of 29 percent which means doubling oil yields per hectare.

 

Presco plans to produce high performing clones that are disease resistant. Not just palm oil, Presco also plans to use cloning for cocoa production too.

 

Presco has already succeeded in cloning rubber trees. It is the only company in this industry in the world to achieve this feat. Their first cloned rubber trees will be planted in Ivory Coast and Ghana. Cloning can help increase rubber yields by about 30 percent per hectare – about 2 to 3 tonnes more per hectare.

 

With these investments, Presco Oil is eyeing a profit of about N4 billion this year‎.

 

3rd Africa Palm Oil (Rubber & Cocoa) on 14-15 October, 2015 in Accra, Ghana will discuss more about palm oil, rubber and cocoa plantations in Africa.

 

Contact Ms. Hafizah at hafizah@cmtsp.com.sg or call +65 6346 9218 for more details.

 

Read more>>>

24 Jun, 2015

 

Global palm oil production is slated to reach approximately 60 million tonnes by 2020, according to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

 

Africa, despite its infrastructure and logistics challenges has the potential to grab a substantial share of this market. However, the region produces less than 10 percent of the total global palm oil production, even though it has as much as 30 percent of all oil palm agricultural land. Out of Africa's 10% contribution to the total palm oil production, Ghana's share is less than 1 percent with an approximate 305,758 hectares producing about 300,000 mt of oil palm, resulting in a supply deficit of 35,000 mt.

 

To improve Ghana's share in the global palm oil production, the government has chosen palm oil as one of the 11 non-traditional export commodities and services selected in the National Export Strategy. Further the government has also launched the Oil Palm Development Association of Ghana (OPDAG) in Accra. OPDAG is established in support of SoIidaridad West Africa to promote the growth and development of the palm oil sector. Plus, the Minister of Trade and Industry Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has called for the establishment of a Palm Oil Development Board (PODB) to oversee policies, regulations, and possible legislations in the palm oil industry.

 

The board is expected to analyse the needs of the sector and estimate fund requirements while also study the strategies used by other palm oil producing countries such as Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia and Ivory Coast. Meanwhile, OPDAG is likely to look into the issues of land acquisition and promote the adoption of best practices and approved sustainable agricultural practices among farmers.

 

A detailed account of Ghana's governmental initiatives to uplift its palm oil industry will be shared at 3rd Africa Palm Oil (Rubber & Cocoa) on 14-15 October, 2015 in Accra, Ghana.

 

Contact Ms. Hafizah at hafizah@cmtsp.com.sg or call +65 6346 9218 for more details.

 

Read more>>>

11 May, 2015