Ghanaian mango farmers are unable to provide enough fruit for fresh fruit manufacturing firms, which means they are having to import mangoes from neighbouring African countries.
Speaking to Joy News, sourcing manager of HPW Fresh and Dry Limited, Daniel Komayire observed that local mango producers have failed to introduce different varieties of mango fruits to expand the market window.
"Mostly, at the peak of the season, we have fruits going bad and then within a short period of time, the fruits are finished. We are not able to meet our orders and the fruits are finished so we are forced to import mangos from other countries like Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Brazil," Mr. Komayire said.
He added that the way forward is for the introduction of new varieties of mangos to expand the harvesting window, which they are working on now with varieties from Florida being tested.
The current national mango production output figures are not readily available, but the most recent from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture show that mango exports went up from less than 500 metric tonnes in 2006 to more than 1,000 metric tonnes in 2008.
In 2010 government through EDAIF launched a 52 million Ghana Cedi Mango Plantation project in five regions, which was aimed at developing a mango orchard over a five-year period with an output target of 89,000 metric tonnes.
Secretary of the Yilo Krobo Mango Farmers Association, Obed Amevor explained that climate change has presented problems for them, with drought killing the flowers during the flowering season.
He added that they are currently working on a year-round irrigation project to aid flowering. Also, he said they need government intervention to assist with fertilisers, chemical and farming inputs to increase their yield.
