[ 2019-03-09 ]

GEPA will double non-traditional export earnings by 2021
The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) says
it will double the country's annual
non-traditional export earnings from the current
$2.6 billion to $5.3 billion by 2021.

A Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the
authority, Mr Albert K. Diwura, who said this in
Accra yesterday, said a process had already begun
to review the national export development strategy
to help achieve that goal.

He said the renewed focus of the GEPA was to
prioritise the development of non-traditional
export crops to diversify the country’s
foreign exchange earnings.

Mr Diwura was speaking at a business seminar
jointly organised by GEPA and the Ghana Investment
Promotion Centre (GIPC) as part of the ongoing
23rd Ghana International Trade Fair at the
International Trade Fair Centre in Accra.

Seminar

Participants in the business seminar were mainly
private business owners who are exhibiting their
wares at the trade fair.

Representatives of trade associations such as the
Ghana Root Crop Exporters Union, the Federation of
Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), as well
as state agencies, such as the Ghana Standards
Authority (GSA) and the Ghana Ports and Harbours
Authority (GPHA), also participated in the
seminar.

It was held on the theme: "Made in Ghana: globally
accepted", and participants discussed issues such
as enhancing local investment, improving packaging
of made-in-Ghana goods and exploring opportunities
for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Strategy

Mr Diwura explained that in the last two years,
GEPA had hinged its strategic business development
agenda on four thematic areas —
agriculture, manufacturing, services and
industrial art.

He said the agricultural component of the agenda
was being vigorously pursued, adding that
attention was being focused on non-traditional
export crops such as cashew, coconut and avocado.

"The GEPA has worked with other collaborators in
the implementation of the 10-year cashew
development project over the past two years and
the results are good.

"Currently we are looking at avocado, for which
reason a team of experts went to Kenya to study
the best practices, so that Ghana can replicate
them to export more," he said.

Mr Diwura emphasised that the private sector
played an important role in achieving the agenda
to diversify the country's exports.

He, therefore, called on the actors in the private
sector to collaborate with the authority and other
stakeholders to boost the export of
non-traditional crops.

GIPC key

The Director of Investor Services at the GIPC, Mr
Edward Ashong-Lartey, for his part, said the
centre was committed to collaborating with other
state agencies and private sector players to
promote the country's products on the
international stage.

He said it was important for the various trade
associations to build the capacities of their
members, with a focus on product quality,
labelling and packaging, to meet internal
standards.

In that regard, Mr Ashong-Lartey said, the GIPC
would continue to lead the way by providing the
right platforms, both locally and internationally,
to promote the Ghana brand.

He urged local business owners to adhere to
regulatory and industry standards to meet the
requirements of the global market.

Source - Graphic

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