Ghanaian exporter YO Amankwah & Sons has finalised the establishment of a subsidiary, Fruit Brothers Ghana, to handle all the company’s imports and exports from 2020. And according to sales & marketing manager, Samuel Owusu Amankwaa, the group is now ready to start exporting pineapples and mangoes out of Côte d’Ivoire, as well as Ghana.
“We have created a partnership with some certified farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and ship out of Abidjan port to Antwerp and Rotterdam,” he says. “By starting from Côte d’Ivoire and ending with Ghana, we are now able to supply mangoes for longer, commencing in the middle of February and ending in July.”
One of the company’s main markets, the Gulf, has become more challenging in recent months, according to Amankwaa, with payments a major problem.
The company’s main focus this year, therefore, is to send a decent volume of mangoes to the EU market, says Amankwaa. “Both our mangoes and our pineapples have a very good flavour and a long shelf-life, so they are popular,” he explains. “Our larger sized pineapples also benefit from excellent consistency of quality.”
Another challenge, likely to worsen in the coming years, is the issue of climate change. “Climate change is already a major issue,” states Amankwaa. “Last year, we had ample rains, resulting in good sizes for both pineapples and mangoes. However, the weather patterns are of great concern to us. We are worried about the rains for this year, so we are making every effort to protect our soils.”
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