With the exception of Somanya having two mango seasons , the rest of mango producing areas like Northern region, Volta, and Kintampo all depend on the major mango season which starts from May every year for export and marketing and expect profit for their hard work, but unfortunately just like every Major season, this year’s major season has once again been a failure to mango farmers with most farmers running at loss as their harvest crushes with thousands of tonnage of mangoes from all over the country reducing the value and price on the market.
This according to the 2007 Eastern Regional best mango Farmer, Stephen Kofi Langmore can be attributed to the non-availability of enough local processing industries to buy and the few tonnage that qualifies to the export market.
Speaking on Rite FM this morning on the ‘’AKUAFO SE SEN ‘’segment of the Morning Ride he bemoaned the fact that Ghana as a country has only two major private fruit processing companies in the country which are not enough to absorb their production compelling them to sell the rest at a drastically reduced price to the local buyers.’’ Meanwhile government can set up processing companies to the nation’s advantage”.
He noted the situation got worse leaving over 6,000 tons of mangoes to rot when Lebanon and some countries on the 30th of June this year closed their import of mango from Ghana.
He advised, the situation can get a turnaround next major season if Ghanaians start to patronize more mango than carbonated drinks and government considering adding mangoes to the school feeding programme.
Source: ritefmonline.org
