EU Impose Temporary Ban On Ghana Citrus

European Union has imposed a temporary ban on Ghana�s citrus from entering its market following the outbreak of Angular Leaf Spot disease citrus. The disease was first detected in the Central region in 2007 and has since spread across the country causing extensive damage to the crops. A scientific conference to address this challenge is taking place at Mankranso, the district capital of Ahafo Ano South in Ashanti, a leading citrus production area in Ghana. The two-day national conference, an initiative by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, is in collaboration with the Platform for African-European Partnership on Agricultural Research for Development, a project of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa and supported by the European Commission. Before the meeting, the participants inspected some of the citrus farms that have been devastated by the disease. According to the farmers, they are finding it extremely difficult to access chemicals to fight the disease and are therefore calling on government to come out with a mass citrus spraying policy to combat the disease, as the virus is so stubborn it can only be fought through a concerted effort. The ban is causing economic hardship for the citrus farmers in Ghana and also denying the country the much needed foreign exchange.