Tropigha to export 1000 tons of exotic fruits

Kpando, July 31, GNA - Tropigha Farms Limited, a company into the cultivation and export fruits, targets to export 1,000 tons of exotic fruits next year to Europe.

Mr Helmut Lutz, the Managing Director of the company, who announced this, said currently Tropigha exports 600 tons to the European market annually.

The company has 1,000 acres of land situated at Gbefi in the Kpando district.

Mr Lutz, a German expatriate, said this when Mr Joseph Amenowode, Volta Regional Minister visited the Company's farm on Tuesday.

He stated that the company's investment rose to one million Euros from an initial capital of 120,000 Euros spanning a 12-year period.

Mr Lutz said currently with a workforce of 100 people, the company has 170=96acre pineapple and 150-acre pawpaw mechanized farms.

He said favourable climatic conditions, availability of water and land, informed the Company's relocation to the Gbefi area.

Mr Lutz indicated that government's decision, which prohibited heavy-duty haulage trucks to use the Adomi Bridge at Atimpoku, affected their operations and called for the problem to be addressed.

For instance he said the Company now spends ten hours instead of four hours to haul its produce to Accra for export due to the directive on the usage of the bridge.

Mr Lutz mentioned land encroachment and stiff competition as some of Tropigha's challenges from the Brazil produce but added that the fibre level and taste of Ghanaian pawpaw was unique to weather the storm.

Mr Amenowode in response said plans were in place to construct a parallel bridge across the Volta Lake at a designated area purposely for use by heavy-duty trucks to save time.

He promised to discuss with the Minister of Roads and Highway the need to relocate a pontoon services to ferry such heavy trucks.

Mr Amenowode emphasized government's resolve to promote Public Private Participation (PPP) in the development processes.