Ghana to participate in fruit and vegetable fair

Accra, Feb 5, GNA- Ghana is to participate in this year's international fruit and vegetable fair scheduled for Germany this week. A 26-member delegation, led by Prof Sefa Dede, President of the National Horticultural Task Force has already left Ghana for Germany in preparation for the three-day fair which comes off from Thursday, February 8 to Saturday, February 10, 2007 at the Berlin Messe in Germany.

Dubbed, "the Berlin Fruchte Logistic," the fair being organised by the German Government would be opened by the German Minister of Trade. Briefing newsmen on the fair, Mr Joseph Tontoh, President of the Vegetable Producers Association of Ghana (VEPAG), the Association together with the Horticultural Association of Ghana, was attending the fair as a group to present a united front to effectively co-ordinate their activities.

He said Ghana would showcase products such as chillies, aubergines, eggplants, pineapple, carrot potatoes, pawpaw and okra. Varieties of mangoes such as Palma, Kitts and Kent would also be on display.

Mr Tontoh said this would be the second time Ghana would be participating in the fair as a group, adding that vegetable production had a high potential of expanding the Ghanaian export market. This, he said was because the European market was taking a high consideration for chillies.

Mr Tontoh urged Ghanaian farmers to diversify their production and get into vegetable farming, explaining that some vegetables had relatively short time of six weeks to mature and could provide ready income.

Also, Ghana stood a better advantage in terms of less travelling time and cost, spending six hours to get to the European market, as against her main competitors Uganda and Kenya, which took 10 hours. Mr Tontoh called on Ghanaians to consume more fruits and vegetables, not only for the health benefits but also to widen the local fruit and vegetable market.

The VEPAG President said Association ensured that its members planted certified seeds, applied certified chemicals, used clean water and maintained other good agricultural practices to meet standards on the international market.

He extended an invitation to fruit and vegetable farmers to join the Association to enjoy the benefits of economies of scale. Mr Tontoh also appealed to Government to come to the aid of VEPAG with a packing shed that had a coolant, and also irrigation schemes and micro financing for an all year round vegetable farming.