EDIF and British firm reach mango marketing partnership deal

Accra, Feb. 7, GNA - The Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF)= , has reached a marketing partnership deal with British Produce Buying Company; Minor, Weirs and Willis, to purchase the produce under its mango development project.

The agreement, which would ensure ready market for farmers is expected to generate a total revenue of GH¢ 46.03 million by 2013 and grow to about GH¢184.2 million= by the close of the project in 2017. EDIF is investing GH¢52.24 million over the next five years to boost the cultivation of 20,000 acres of mango for export in the savannah regions of the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions. The venture is in line with government policy to turn the five regions into a mango production hub.

Mr Agyabeng Antwi-Agyei, Acting Chief Executive of EDIF told journalists in Accra that the deal would help address the age-old problem o= f access to foreign markets by local farmers. He said under the deal the British firm, was expected to provide a large clientele ready for Ghanaian farm produce, which met the standard of the UK market. "Ghana has the potential to produce about 300 farm produce out of th= e 600 product lines of the company, hence the decision of EDIF to concentrate on the agriculture sector," he said.

As at the end of December 2010, GH¢8.27 million has been spent in th= e cultivation of 6,600 acres in 32 districts of the target regions, providing direct employment to more than 1,800 people.

Mr Antwi-Agyei said as part of the project, key infrastructure along the mango value chain such as pack houses and processing facilities would b= e provided.

"These would ensure international market certification requirements are met as well as reduce post-harvest losses to the barest minimum through value addition to non-exportable fruits," he said. He said considering the long gestation period of mango, in the early stages of the plantation farmers would be supported to inter-crop their farms with groundnut, soyabeans and sunflower to improve their income.

Mr Antwi-Agyei said the country had long depended on Cocoa and EDIF wa= s ready to support diversification into mango production. Apart from the mango cultivation, Mr Antwi-Agyei said the Fund and Minor Weirs were also supporting farmers to produce butternut squash fruits, which the marketing partners had expressed interest in sourcing fro= m Ghana. He said EDIF had imported 50 kilograms of butternut squash seeds from South Africa for pilot production in Nkoranza, Somanya and Gomoa Kakraba. A total of 60 acres have been earmarked for the pilot production. Mr Antwi-Agyei said the first trial shipment of fruits was expected in the second week of May 2011.

To ensure successful cultivation of the fruit a team which had undertaken a week- long training in South Africa was on the field assisting farmers.

EDIF was established in October 2000 to make financial resources available for the development and promotion of Ghana's export trade. It has to date provided GH¢157.27 million to support 227 projects across the country.