This year’s fruit and vegetable fair recorded 65 horticulture value chain actors such as; input dealers, processors, producers, services providers, seed producers, agro-chemical dealers, farmers, buyers and government agencies together.

The fair was opened at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel by the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Horticulture, Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarko, and the Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Mr. Ron Strikker.

The 4-day fair was themed “Promoting Quality Fruits and Vegetables for a Competitive Domestic and Export Market” which resonates HortiFresh’s mission to develop an internationally competitive and sustainable fruit and vegetable sector in Ghana. The fair is an annual program designed as an avenue to develop a conducive business climate for energetic innovative entrepreneurs who are actively working to transform the sector for its competitiveness internationally.

Speaking at the official opening, the Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Mr. Ron Strikker indicated that the “the fair shows the Netherlands commitment to promote agriculture through private sector investment; gradually moving from Aid to Trade”. He was impressed by the number of new companies that the sector has attracted and the number of new products and services that are now available. He encouraged the companies to add value to their produce and meet international standards, while congratulating the efforts of participants for this year’s event.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture indicated the government’s determination to pursue its trade and development agenda through the launching of the Planting for Food and Jobs. In realizing this agenda is the most recent initiative that was launched is the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) which seeks to create a sustainable raw material base to boost its decentralized industrialization drive as envisaged under the ‘One-District, One-Factory’ initiative.

This year’s fair was crowned with the launch of the 1^st in series HortiFresh Business Opportunities Report and award ceremony. 5 exhibitors were recognised and awarded for their outstanding presentation of products, branding of their exhibition booth, innovativeness of their product or service as well as packaging.

The award categories included; Best Vegetable Booth which went to AB Farms Ventures, Best Packaged Product or Service; Hendy Farms,  the Best Innovative Product award was taken by FarmKlass Company Limited, Best Fruit Booth award was taken by Ropryn Company Limited. It was amazing to see stakeholders cheer with a round of applause when Agritop Limited was adjudged the Over All Exhibitor this year.

There were 3 successful seminars that run concurrently with the fair. Topics discussed during the seminar session were Certification and Standards, Solar Irrigation and Competitiveness in the fruit Processing sector.