The Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) has debunked claims that local mangoes marketers are injecting the fruits with chemicals to accelerate the ripening process for consumption.
The allegations first surfaced in a viral social media video that mangoes are being chemically injected to hasten the ripening process. FAGE, however, said mangoes producers and marketers in Ghana adhere strictly to good agricultural practices (GAP) per international standards, by allowing the fruits ripe through a natural process influenced by factors such as temperature, humidity and exposure to ethylene gas which is a natural plant hormone.
Therefore, there is no need for any external chemical intervention to ripen mangoes. Mangoes contain essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that contribute to their nutritional value and health benefits.
President of FAGE, Davies Korboe, in a press statement described the said video as deceptive and called on its creators to retract and apologize for the harm caused, especially fear and panic among the public.
The president accused such publications of a mastermind of some foreigners who want to take over the local markets.
“We are well informed about the calculated attempt by some groups and individuals seeking to do the bidding of faceless organizations seeking to taint the image of the hard-earned Ghanaian farmers, marketers, and exporters to the advantage of the imported fruits which the ordinary Ghanaian is clueless of their origin and mode of production.
This trajectory has occasioned due to the sustained competitiveness of the Ghanaian agro-products on the international market. The said Mr. Israel Mensah and the “good living Ghana” handlers are perhaps uninformed about mango preservation in Ghana,” he said.
He added that the mango industry in Ghana, under the ambiance of FAGE and other regulatory bodies like the FDA, PPRSD, MoFA, and GSA, has in the past decades, adhered to strict agricultural practices, quality control measures, and international standards to ensure the safety and integrity of the fruits consumed in Ghana and also exported beyond the borders of Ghana.
He urged the public to rely on organisations such as the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and Plant Protection & Regulatory Services (PPRSD) for credible information on locally produced food items.
“FAGE wishes to reaffirm its commitment to uphold the safety and well-being of the Ghanaian consumer. Fruits produced, marketed, and exported from Ghana over the years have been under the lens of the regulatory bodies and agricultural authorities in different countries who play a vital role in monitoring and maintaining the safety of agricultural produce from Ghana,” he reiterated.
