NACOB Bans Export Of Non-Traditional Crops

The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has put a temporary ban on the export of non-traditional crops, TV3 News has gathered. The reason for the ban is not officially known though exporters told TV3's Kweku Temeng on Friday morning that some drugs were intercepted last Tuesday at the Kotoka International Airport's Cargo Village, informing such a directive from NACOB. "We asked them the reason but they refused to tell us saying it is order from above," an exporter said. The irate exporters have raised questions about the manner in which NACOB is treating the issue. They estimate that up to �13,000 could be lost per day if the produce are not exported. A few of them who managed to go to the NACOB office at the Cargo Village were turned away as the few officials available claim they were not in a position to speak to the issue. "People just want to know what is going on," an exporter said. Others revealed that a Virgin Atlantic cargo airbus that arrived at the Kotoka International Airport for the exports departed empty. The next cargo plane, the exporters say, is expected to be in on Saturday but they fear their produce may no longer be fit for export as a result of their perishable nature. TV3's cameramen were heckled by NACOB officials at the Cargo Village in an attempt to find out more on the issue. Speaking to TV3 News in a a separate interview, Mr Gerald Nyarko Mensah, the Acting Director for Export Trade Division at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, expressed concerns about the development, assuring that the Ministry will work with dispatch to get the matter resolved. "Even before [Friday], our attention had been drawn to what was happening at the Airport. Exporters of yam and other fresh produce have been complaining for quite sometime now," Mr Nyarko Mensah said. He, however, indicated that the Ministry will do its best not to compromise the efforts of NACOB.