The Orange Growers Association (OGA) has engaged the Ministry of Meals and Agriculture (MoFA) in a high-level dialogue to deal with important challenges in Ghana’s citrus business, together with financing constraints, market inefficiencies, and post-harvest waste administration.
The assembly, held in Accra, introduced collectively key business stakeholders, processors, and government representatives to discover options geared toward stabilising and rising the sector.
A key situation highlighted in the course of the assembly was the dearth of working capital for citrus farmers, with many struggling to maintain operations as a result of lengthy cost cycles from processors.
Though Ghana produced 440,000 tons of citrus in 2024, solely 40 per cent of the harvest was monetised, leaving farmers vulnercapable of monetary misery.
“Our greatest problem is liquidity. We would not have the working capital to attend 60 days for funds. Farmers want immediate monetary help to maintain their farms operating,” Theodore Tsidi Kloba, Enterprise Improvement Supervisor at OGA, lamented.
He defined that his outfit wish to leverage current parastatals of the Ministry to seek out options to the prevailing points.
The assembly additionally addressed the numerous quantity of citrus waste, which presents an untapped US$100 million market opportunity in animal feed, biofertilisers, and important oil extraction.
“Proper now, we’re throwing away what may very well be a significant revenue stream,” Mr Kloba famous. “If we spend money on citrus waste course ofing, we will generate further earnings for farmers whereas lowering environmental injury,” he added.
Probably the most promising options mentioned was black soldier fly farming, the place citrus waste is used to provide professionaltein-rich feed for livestock.
“We have to cease seeing waste as a burden and begin seeing it as a enterprise alternative,” Mr Kloba prompted.
In response to those considerations, the sector Minister, Eric Opoku, outlined potential interventions, which intention to combine processing, storage, and financing help for farmers. He outlined the government’s dedication to reworking the citrus business into a significant financial pillar.
“The citrus sector represents one in every of our most promising agricultural frontiers, with manufacturing volumes now surpassing even a few of our conventional staples. This authorities recognises that unlocking its full potential requires addressing the present liquidity challenges confronted by our farmers and processors,” he said.
Kwasi Etu Bonde, Technical Director at MoFA, additionally mentioned the Ministry had already re-evaluating its framework to offer important help for the business.
The assembly concluded with a dedication to pursue monetary interventions, together with a structured revolving fund for citrus farmers.
Moreover, there was a consensus to develop a waste-to-value technique that helps livestock feed manufacturing, fertiliser manufacturing, and citrus oil extraction in addition to have interaction different stakeholders, together with policymakers, monetary establishments, and personal buyers to create a sustainable citrus worth chain.
“It is a defining second for Ghana’s citrus business. With the best monetary and coverage interventions, we will remodel citrus farming right into a high-value agribusiness sector,” Mr Kloba added.
BY TIMES REPORTER
