Tuna Export Hits 70, 000 Tonnes

The country's export of raw tuna and other fishing products shot up from 55,000 to 70,000 metric tonnes last year.

Export of canned tuna had also increased to 50,000 metric tonnes within the same period.

The Minister for Fisheries, Gladys Asmah gave the figures when she toured some selected fish processing factories in Tema and Prampram.

The minister's visit was to enable her to have first hand information about challenges and prospects of fish processing industries in the country.

Gladys Asmah explained that government was partnering with the private sector to develop the fishing industry.

The minister first visited the Divine Seafood Processing Factory at the fishing harbour area which processes fish flakes and octopus in raw state for export to the European market.

The tour also took her to the Ghana Protein Limited, manufacturers of fishmeal and oil for the local market.

The company was relocated from the Ivory Coast to Ghana and started production this year and uses waste fish products from the pioneer food company for processing into animal protein meal and olive oil.

Gladys Asmah rounded up her tour at the West
African fishery production and marketing company at Prampram.

There, the company is utilizing a one million dollar grant from the Netherlands government facilitated by the Ministry of Fisheries to buy tuna from local fishermen and process them for export to America and the European markets.