The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) on Friday inaugurated three boards tasked to manage a 3.6 million dollar pack house facilities for mango and pineapple farmers in the Greater Accra Region.
The pack houses located at Mariakrom, Gomoa Otwekrom and Akorley, are to help farmers meet the requisite high standards for their produce on the export market.
The post harvest infrastructure, which has cooling facilities attached to them, would be owned and managed by the community, including the private sector.
Inaugurating the three boards made of six members each at Akorley, Mr Martin Eson- Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MiDA, said the pack houses was in line with the authority’s objective of supporting the growth and expansion of the horticultural sector and curb post harvest losses.
Mr. Eson-Benjamin said the authority believed that the provision of the facilities would serve as catalyst to bring prosperity to all small holder farmers and create employments and boost wealth creation.
“We don’t want to hear that the mango industry is dwindling, rather the business should be growing in folds,” the CEO said.
He charged members of the boards to ensure that the facilities were utilized and maintained and also keeping the environment clean.
The CEO noted that the food business thrived on clean environment, and that, adding quality was also driven by a hygienic environment.
According to him, all over the world, food business was advancing in terms of technology and so farmers in Ghana must match up to that.
He challenged the farmers to embark on good farming practices to expand their business and crop yields, saying that, “mangoes can obtain value just like cocoa is doing on the international market.”
To ensure that the farmers’ produce satisfy international requirements, Mr. Eson-Benjamin presented certificates issued by GLOBAL GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) to the three pack houses.
Mr. Joseph Kwesi Odzeyem, Chairman of the Yilo Krobo Mango Farmers Association noted that Yilo Krobo, Damgbe West and Manya districts could produce 9,000 tonnes of mangoes per year.
Mr. Odzeyem recounted the difficulties farmers in the area go through in their bid to export the farm produce, adding that, the pack house had come at the right time since it would curb post harvest losses.
He appealed to the Ministries of Food and Agriculture, Trade and Industry and Roads and Highways; to provide a better road network in the communities to ensure easy carting of farm produces to these pack houses.
Mr. Odzeyem commended MiDA for its contribution towards the horticulture business.
Mr. Peter O. Sackey, Chairman of the Board at the Akorley Pack house, pledged member’s commitment to ensuring that the facilities were managed and maintained properly.**
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