Horticulture Industry in Ghana

The horticulture sub-sector is a very important segment of Agriculture. It plays a vital role in income generation, foreign exchange earnings, employment and food security The horticulture sub-sector has the potential for the needed diversification of the exports base, modernization of agriculture, acceleration in economic growth and poverty reduction. The sub-sector is made up of two segments, export oriented and domestic oriented.The focus is primarily on the production and marketing of fruits and vegetables with very little activity on ornamentals. There is an emerging value addition industry as well. By and large, the country is self-sufficient in the production of most of its fruits and vegetables for domestic use (citrus, papaya, pineapples, pepper, garden eggs, okra, kontomire, gboma etc) although availability is characterized by seasonality of cycles of glut and scarcity. There is a shortfall in the production of two major vegetables, tomato and onion necessitating supplemental imports. 

Harry Bleppony works with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture; Directorate of Crop Services. Deputy Director at the Horticulture Development Unit, he has been involved with the horticulture industry for the past 14 years. He has worked on the World Bank funded Horticulture Export Industry Initiative project and the African Development Bank funded Export Marketing and Quality Awareness Project as horticulture specialist. Harry holds a Master’s degree from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Postharvest Physiology.