Dried Citrus Fruits made in Ghana, 100% organic – and powered by solar

EWIA’s new client BothApraku produces high-quality sun-dried citrus peels in Ghana with 300 employees for the international market. The company, founded in Accra in 2012, especially offers women secure jobs and even its own daycare center. In the future, the company will also use the power of the sun for energy generation.

With its products, BothApraku supplies major food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, aroma, and beverage manufacturers and has set itself the goal of becoming the leading exporter of fresh and sun-dried organic citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges, and bitter oranges) in Africa.

Corporate Social Responsibility is a top priority

Ghana has one of the highest rates of female entrepreneurs worldwide. And this is evident, especially with EWIA’s new client BothApraku.

The company, founded by Juliet Blickendorf, supplies high-quality, sustainable, and safe organic products to customers from various industries. At the same time, it creates reliable and stable jobs for the development and livelihood of women in rural areas. BothApraku currently employs around 300 women and men on its 200-hectare citrus farm.

The company also provides a daycare center at the processing site to support all working mothers with childcare. In addition, the company donates money so that the community can, for example, purchase computers for the local police or better equip the women’s ward of the health center in Abakrampa.

The organically produced citrus fruits are processed in Batanyaa in Ghana’s Central Region. Here, the company also works with registered contract farmers. After being transported to the processing facility, the organically produced citrus fruits are thoroughly cleaned, cut to the desired size, and sun-dried under strict hygienic conditions. The finished product is then packaged, labeled, and subsequently exported.

Rising exports, falling production costs

BothApraku is a great local success story, as the company has managed to increase the exports of its organic products every year for the past 13 years. And now it is simultaneously reducing production costs through the PV system that we will install. The hybrid solar system is designed for 5.5 kWp and 15.36 kWh. Thus, the system, which is being directly purchased by BothApraku, is initially a small step. But it helps the company to remain competitive.

We look forward to accompanying another flourishing local business into the solar age.