Research by the Ghana Agricultural Producers and Traders Organization (GAPTO), the umbrella body of agricultural traders, at two markets in Accra and Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, says that Ghana imported one hundred and twenty million dollars worth of onions in 2010 and 2011.
The researchers have not been able to update the figures for the subsequent six years but it is believed that the figures could be several times more today in 2017.
The impact of this is that tons of onions are transported by road along the West African corridors to the Agbogbloshie Onion Market in Accra on daily basis and some traders believe it is to the detriment of locally produced onions in the country.
Osman Mohammed, Secretary to the Accra Onion Sellers and Porters Co-operative Society, suggested that for Ghana to reduce the importation of onions, farmers should have more plantations, learn how the Nigeriens do it and implement it in Ghana.
However, Ghana shows strong demand for the imported onions with some buyers noting those from Niger are of better quality. During Business Day’s investigations at Accra’s fastest growing onion market in Agbogbloshie, Awal Alhassan, an onion dealer at Phobia Onions shed, who has a decade of experience in the sector, said Ghana does not have onions like the ones imported from Niger.
“Our onions are not good as compared to the ones imported from Niger; so, Ghanaians prefer Nigerien onions. Niger’s onions are different. They're very sweet and yellowish in colour," Awal Alhassan, an onion dealer at Phobia Onions shed, added.
Source: citifmonline.com
