The European Union has lifted the ban on the export of some five vegetables from Ghana to the EU Market.
The five are chilli pepper, bottle gourds, luffa gourds, bitter gourds and eggplants.
The vegetables will from 1 January 2018, have duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market like any other product from Ghana.
The five commodities will have to fulfil the EU phytosanitary legislation to ensure the freedom of quarantine pests.
It is estimated that the country lost about 50 million Dollars since the ban was slapped on it about three years ago.
This decision to lift the ban follows an audit undertaken from 12 to 21 September 2017 by the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission and the evolution of the numbers of import interceptions with quarantine pests notified by Member States for commodities not subject to the ban.
“Since the beginning of the ban in October 2015, the Ghanaian authorities have taken significant corrective measures to improve the inspection and control system for plant health at exit points, in particular at Kotoka International Airport,” a statement from the EU said.
The statement added that “the European Commission congratulates Ghana for reaching this important milestone and encourages Ghana to consolidate the upgraded system and to continue further improvements in the phytosanitary certification system to obtain full compliance with the EU phytosanitary requirements.”
Meanwhile, the Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association is pushing for strict sanctions on vegetable exporters who do not adhere to thestandards.
The Vice President of the Association, Felix Kamasah said lifting the ban is a great relief.
