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The government will arrest and prosecute unlicensed and illegal artisanal palm oil producers and processors in the country by next year.
The move is designed to deter bad operators from producing unclean and unhealthy palm oil for consumption, which causes many diseases such as cancer.
The efforts are intended to improve market access for workers in the palm oil value chain in the producing districts and ensure that the finished products meet both local and international market standards in order to generate income and taxes for development.
Mr. Paul Amaning, the National President of the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association of Ghana, gave the hint during a product packaging training course for palm oil producers at Twifo Hemang.
He noted that a significant portion of Ghana’s palm oil imports could be sourced locally from artisanal palm oil producers if they met the quality requirements of both industrial users and palm oil exporters.
Mr Amaning said the government is ready to assist millers with portable machines for processing palm oil into a convenient process within a shorter period of time.
He called on the artisanal mill owners to adapt to the change and also to work together as a team to advance and digitize the palm oil business.
Mr. Amaning also urged attendees to register their businesses to meet the required standards to improve trade and also create jobs to reduce unemployment and raise the standard of living in the country.
Mr. John Odai Tettey, the Regional Manager of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), trained attendees on business registration requirements so they can operate without disruption.
He added that food hygiene and safety should be the core element of all food preparation processes, including palm oil. Therefore, processors need to acquire and regularly update their knowledge of food safety and good manufacturing practices.
Mr Tettey advised consumers not to ask for palm oil with a reddish hue, explaining that these market preferences led some unscrupulous palm oil manufacturers to add substances to the product to change its natural color, which could affect food safety.
He urged participants to work for the safety of their products to protect public health.
The regional manager advised mill owners to follow the correct procedures and measures to produce the best, highest quality product for the market.
Source: GNA
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