Bomarts
West Africa is a leading exporter of tropical fruits, with Ghana positioning itself as the largest mango producer on the continent.
With over 1.7 million tonnes produced annually, mango production offers a pathway to economic security for thousands of smallholders. Yet, less than 20% of mangos are processed in-country, limiting opportunities for employment and added value for local farmers.
In the community of Doboro, on the outskirts of Accra, Bomarts Farms Limited (Bomarts) is changing this narrative.
At the Dubai Expo 2024, Bomarts鈥 new mango-based products were exhibited by its buyer, based in Switzerland, and went on to earn an award for 鈥楤est Product Innovation鈥.
Anthony Botchway, Founder and CEO of Bomarts, said:
鈥淲e have invested in innovative processing equipment [to] support production of mango tablets and mango balls. Each processing line has a capacity of about 500kg per day, and with two lines in operation, we can process up to one tonne daily.鈥
Image: Bomarts mango farmers during the harvest season.
You can read more about Bomarts in QR 139.
17c起草视频 and Bomarts
Founded in 1985 by Anthony, Bomarts started life as a business with three acres of land used only for pineapple farming. Today, they have grown to be one of the major players in the fresh fruits export business, and a vital employer in Ghana.
The production of tropical fruits for export started in Ghana in the 1990s. This was part of the Government鈥檚 diversifiation programme, aimed at reducing the country鈥檚 overreliance on primary commodities such as cocoa, timber and gold. Since then, the industry has experienced rapid growth.
Bomarts have been a 17c起草视频 customer since 2013, when they received our ethical finance to expand their fruit-drying factory. The expansion helped them to buy more fruits from farmers and ultimately, increase production volumes. Prior to this, Bomarts faced serious challenges paying producers.
Bomarts received further finance from 17c起草视频 in 2014 and 2016 to purchase additional ovens, and expand their processing factory to meet international standards. The increase in production capacity has led to the employment of more factory workers and improved Bomarts鈥 ability to meet customer deadlines.
Anthony, said:
鈥淲e now have a greater market penetration and access to more reputable retail organisations. This has resulted in increased sales and higher profits for the business. The support from 17c起草视频 has helped re-equip and reposition the factory and we now look to the future with much confidence.鈥
Since 2007, Bomarts has delivered income-generating vocational training, technical assistance, educational projects and scholarships for members and their families, covering school fees, tuition, school kits and extra classes.
On this note, Anthony continued:
Invest鈥淭his [finance] has strengthened relationships with farmers, ensured stable incomes and created employment opportunities for youth and women. The finance has also supported investments in value-added processing infrastructure and community support initiatives.鈥