GREL Pays Fidelity Bonus to Rubber Farmers for Loyalty and Introduces New Weighbridges
Ghana Rubber Estate (GREL) has rewarded 790 out-grower rubber farmers with GH¢1.35 million as a fidelity bonus for their long-standing loyalty to the company. The beneficiaries were selected for delivering to the weighbridges for at least eight successive months during the 2022/2023 agriculture season.
The introduction of the fidelity bonus is GREL’s way of appreciating the continuous loyalty of its out-grower farmers and sharing benefits with stakeholders.
GREL supports its out-grower farmers with inputs and technical support, and in return, it off-takes all their produce. However, some out-grower farmers have been diverting their harvests to neighbouring countries after receiving the support.
To address this challenge, GREL has positioned well-tested weighbridges close to the farmers. These weighbridges are expected to make transportation of the rubber cup lumps to designated places and the factory much easier and more affordable for the farmers.
The company had previously installed weighbridges at the processing factories at Apimanim and Tsibu in the Western Region. Still, it has now gone further to build others approved by the Ghana Standard Authority, with certified equipment, to ensure transparency.
The new weighbridges are located at Awodua, Subri, and Allabokazo, all in the Western Region, while in the Central Region, the weighbridges are located at Abriem Agona and Assin Adubiase.
The addition of the new weighbridges is expected to make it easier for farmers to get their products to designated weighbridges on time for a quicker turnaround. This move is part of GREL’s commitment to sustainable and organic production of rubber for the mutual benefit of all stakeholders along the rubber value chain, especially in creating jobs and wealth for the country.
The farmers appreciated the new addition to the existing weighbridges, which they described as a great relief to rubber out-grower farmers who will no longer have to travel long distances to deliver the rubber cup-lumps when they are ready.
The payment of the fidelity bonus was also described as a morale booster for farmers to do more for themselves and the country.