OTC Burkina Faso mangoes

The first stone laid by Yaya Koné and OTC coordinator Everard Geurtsen

Organic distributor OTC-Holland has revealed that it will invest in the construction of a new packing station with a mango sorting line together with partner Sanlé Sechage Export in Banfora, Burkina Faso.

For several years now Sanlé is the regular supplier of organic mangoes to OTC. 'Combined with our drying plant for mangoes at the same location, we can achieve a huge qualitative leap in the coming years,' director Yaya Koné and commercial manager Karim Soma said. 'The launch of this project is a logical step in the ambition we both share. We continuously want to book quality improvement. Due in part to the develoPPP program we can take this step together with OTC.'

Edward Out, managing director at OTC-Holland and the person responsible for purchasing Africa explains: 'Supply Development is one of the spearheads at OTC. It is of great importance for buyers to be able to continue to operate well into the near future. Together with our partner Sanlé in Burkina we saw the need to improve infrastructure and invest in specific knowledge.”

Sanlé is currently working with 16 certified local mango growers. 'Together with these growers we will cooperate to improve the entire process, from cultivation to harvesting and from sorting methods to conditioning. “We expect to extend our group of growers in the coming years and thus our export volumes to increase' Koné noted.

This year the mangoes are packed in 'MmmBIO' boxes, which are specially designed for this project. The OTC brand stands for high-quality organic products with a people-centred sustainable character. This means that OTC and Sanlé invest in day care for the children of employees. A safe place for children will be created where they get a healthy meal during the day and where they are challenged with sports and games. The ultimate goal is that more children make the transition to primary school, after all, education is the key to a better future.

The OTC team has recently been expanded by the arrival of Núria Vlonk-Cunha Soares. As a supply development manager she is in charge of the implementation of projects in developing countries, particularly in West-Africa.

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