GHANA – Ghana has formed a multisectoral-committee to monitor and ensure improvements in Ghana’s Temperature Control Cargo industry in response to challenges faced by exporters and other stakeholders in the country.
Members of the committee are drawn from the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), the Global Cold Chain Alliance, Ministry of Food and Agriculture and representation from some import and export groups.
The industry involves the use of specialized containers — built to work as a large refrigerator—that carries temperature-sensitive goods at regulated cold temperatures.
The exporters lamented on the lack of capacity building and training opportunities for temperature control cargo operators to upgrade themselves on the changing trends in the industry. They also pointed out the lack of temperature control facilities for the transport of perishables from the farm gate to the airport.
Other issues raised were inadequate cold rooms at the airport, delay in perishable cargo movement at the ports, inconsistencies in temperature regulation of perishable cargo and lack of adequate number of cargo planes to transport goods from Ghana among others.
To this end, the stakeholders have called for regular capacity building and training for Temperature Control Cargo operators so as to improve the quality of goods exported from Ghana, especially temperature sensitive items such as perishable fruits and vegetables.
Mrs. Monica Josiah, Head of Shippers Services and Trade Facilitation at the GSA, directed the leadership of Global Cold Chain Alliance present at the meeting to “find practicable solutions to these challenges raised by the exporters.”
She highlighted the importance of such meetings not only to the exporters but the Cold Chain facility providers as well.
“It is important that we discuss these challenges in order that the shippers do not incur losses because sometimes before the goods arrive at the destination some get damaged. This meeting with the Global Cold Chain Alliance is important because they will tell us what the issues are,” she said.
Vice President of the Global Cold Chain Alliance, Manuel Cebrera Kabana, gave assurances that his organization would work to ensure that the challenges faced by Ghanaian exporters are resolved.
Ghana´s agriculture offers a rich supply of fresh fruit and vegetables. Exotic fruits from Ghana, such as pineapples and mangos, as well as African vegetables like okra and yam root, are popular among European.
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