Accra, Oct 15, GNA - Major Courage Quashigah, Minister of Food and Agriculture said the Ghana Export Promotion Council report listed papaya as currently being the third most important export fruit after pineapple and banana, earning 992,867.00 dollars from the export of 1,791 metric tonnes in 2001

Mango was also said to be probably the youngest export fruit crop in the horticultural industry, however, its export was expected to increase twenty-fold in the next five years because the current rate of development of mango plantations for export purposes was encouraging. Major Quashigah said this at a national consensus and strategic meeting on papaya and mango in Accra.

The Ghana Private-Public Partnership Food Industry Development Programme organised the meeting.

Participants discussed production challenges, status of mango and papaya development in Ghana, post-production challenges, market requirement and general supply overview of mango and papaya and possible financial interventions.

Major Quashigah said however, that to be able to drive the maximum export potential from the expanding area under cultivation, there was the need for a corresponding increase in productivity through the introduction of improved technologies.

He said pineapple, which was leading the growth in the horticulture sector happens to be the highest foreign exchange earner among fresh fruits exported from the country, received huge government support but the same could not be said of papaya and mango.

He said, "I feel together, we should support the development of these two crops to realise their full economic potential"

He said currently, papaya was mostly consumed as fresh fruit or exported as fresh fruit, adding that, a lot more uses could however, be found for it in the pharmaceutical industry, brewery and tanning industry.

He said the Ministry would soon inaugurate the horticultural advisory board under following request of stakeholders in the industry to, among other things, advise government on the development and implementation of national framework for the creation of a modern, competitive market-led horticultural industry in Ghana.

Mr K.M Nkrumah, Director of Credit and Projects of the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF) said a total of 160.4 billion cedis grant loan had been granted to various sectors in export trade between June 2002 and September 2003.

An aggregate amount of 26.9 billion cedis has also gone into agro-processing industries and 16.2 billion cedis loans also went into agricultural projects.

He said beneficiaries of the loans included pineapple farmers and a processors of oranges and pineapple into concentrates. He said the grant given to Ghana Export Promotion Council included component for the cultivation of mango seedlings to support the development of mango as an export crop.

Mr Nkrumah said EDIF was also supporting Kakum co-operatives of Citrus producers in Cape Coast area with supply of seedlings. He said eligible applicants for financial assistance under EDIF's export development and promotion account or facility were institutions, organisations, product and trade associations which provided services to the export sector.

He said assistance given under the facility were generally not recoverable, since it was given as a grant. He said applicant should however, have minimum financial stake in the project for which EDIF financial assistance was being sought and should demonstrate enough commitment to ensure the success of the project.