The Vegetable Growers and Sellers Association of Ghana is calling for long-term financial support to meet growing export demands as the country continues to rely heavily on imports despite its agricultural potential.
The association said commercial growers and sellers are struggling to capitalise on market opportunities due to insufficient long-term financing options from institutions.
The Bono Regional Queen Mother for Cabbage Growers and Sellers, Nana Akosua Asantewaa bemoaned import of vegetables, particularly from Burkina Faso and Morocco despite Ghana’s natural resources.
The Cabbage Queen mother said that vegetable products, key imports from these countries, highlight the need to explore investing in the local production of vegetables.
Nana Akosua Asantewaa called on the government to provide some incentives such as free vegetable seedlings for the Growers to expand production.
Nana Akosua Asantewaa, who is also the New Dormaa Queen mother again, called on the government to establish a warehouse for vegetable Growers and Sellers Association in the Bono Region.
She said that the warehouse, when established, will help address post harvest losses.
The Cabbage Growers and Sellers Queen indicated that the Burkina Faso government has built a warehouse, which she described as a “cold room” to store vegetables when it’s in abundance and called for a similar initiative in Ghana.
