Artisanal Palm Oil Millers supports FDA to fight contaminated palm oil

President of Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Out-growers Association, Paul Amaning has said his outfit is in full support of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to clamp down and arrest some oil palm producers in Ghana who use Sudan IV in their oil palm production.

He acknowledged the good initiative that Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Out-growers Association have put in place to help curb the menace of SUDAN IV in Ghana.

He said the FDA would continue to work with the association to collect samples of the palm oil and test every year to sanction those who add unwholesome chemicals to their palm oil.

According to him, middlemen in the value chain are the cause of contaminated palm oil in palm production.

"I want the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to trace and arrest people who are consistently involved in producing Sudan IV," Paul Amaning said at a press briefing.

He added, “We would cooperate with FDA and test all palm oil in the market to bring down all those who are using harmful chemicals for production, we are pleading with the producers, wholesalers, retailers, consumers, and the public to refrain from the use of Sudan IV in palm oil for the benefit of our health.”

Paul Amaning noted that Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association are already in the process to educate palm oil producers on the effects of chemical additives on human health to help curb the menace of SUDAN IV.

He urged the general public not to panic but patronize the palm oil because FDA and Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association are working to clamp down perpetrators in the sector.

Solution

According to research by Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association in 2018, they launched a digital transparent platform, 'Palm Oil goes digital' which is available on play store. It will aid customers to allocate certified palm oil to buy.

The President Of the Association,Paul Amaning reiterated that his outfit is committed to giving proper training to members to desist from using Sudan IV in oil production.

He further stressed that the training is in collaboration with FDA, Artisanal Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association of Ghana and other stakeholders' effort to tackle the Sudan IV menace.

However, he revealed that his outfit has been doing extensive training programs in which the last training program was done at Akyem Herman in the Central Region.

He also appealed to stakeholders like Exim Bank, Ghana Export Promotions, Ghana Enterprise Agency and all relevant agencies to support the training and branding of palm oil producers.

"On 17th November,2015, Netherlands band Ghana from exporting palm oil into the country because of the use of Sudan IV production that is why we are working tirelessly with all stakeholders to ensure that we eliminate the dominance of contaminated palm oil in the market," he added.

On Government

Paul Amaning pleaded with government to help members with funding to do extensive research about consumption and support mill upgrade.

He assured the commitment of the association to work hard to assist the government and the FDA to curb the menace of the SUDAN IV.

He called on the general public to assist in combating this act by identifying producers who use SUDAN IV for production in their communities.

Ministry of Food and Agriculture research shows that 4.5 litre of Palm oil at Agbogbloshie was sold at Ghc18 while the same litre was at Ghc30 at Akyem Asuom, a wholesale point in the Eastern Region.