Ghana's horticultural produce soaring

Accra, Aug 8, GNA - The export of Ghana's horticultural produce is rising sharply as exports have exceeded 250 percent of the level they were seven years ago.

Pineapple yielded more than 55 million dollars in export revenue in 2006, with a projected 15 percent growth in the sector in 2007, as Ghana was now the third largest supplier of the produce to Europe. Banana, which has also emerged as the next major Ghanaian horticultural exports, is also projected to reach 20 times their 2000 volume.

Vegetable shipments to Europe have also inched up by 75 percent over the decade, with shipment of other fruits like melons, mangoes and papayas also recording significant growth.

Speaking at a debriefing programme organized by the Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) under the auspices of the National Horticultural Task Force (NHTF) in Accra, Mr Mawuli Agboka, President of the Task of the Task Force said a lot of interest was generated in their produce and enquiries were made from the European Union and the Eastern Europe.

The debriefing was on Ghana's participation in the world's largest trade fair, dubbed, Fruit Logistica Fair, in Berlin, Germany in February this year.

Ghana was, for the first time mounted one stand at the fiar and was able to communicate current initiatives to showcase her as a viable place for sourcing and investments and also to clinch deals with suppliers, service providers and importers as a way of enhancing Ghana's horticulture.

The event was also to help reverse difficulties encountered in the marketing of such produce in the international market, present a unified Ghanaian horticultural industry and to conduct market intelligence on new produce and packaging.

Mr. Agboka said the new horticulture quality standards created opportunities for those exporters having the capacity to respond to the market chains in their quest for reliable source and supply chain management.

Ghana has planned to build an extensive 'cold chain' transportation system that will reach from local farms to European store shelves. Mr Abgoka urged policy makers to engage in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mechanisms to develop and manage policy directions that would engender the development of specific financial instruments in support of production. 8 Aug. 07