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Ghana's non-traditional export volume
goes up
Sunyani, Oct. 3, Ghanadot/GNA - The volume of Ghana's
non-traditional exports have increased from two million
dollars in 1984 to 893 million dollars in 2007, Mr. Lawrence
Akwasi Prempeh, General Manager of Ghana Export Promotion
Council, said in Sunyani on Tuesday.
He said at least 3,000 registered products were currently
being exported by more than 10,000 exporters.
Mr Prempeh was speaking at the opening of a three-day
workshop on export marketing fundamentals for exporters,
financial institutions, and small and medium scale
enterprises.
The aim of the workshop was to provide basic information on
practical export marketing techniques and upgrading
marketing operating skills of exporters. It was organized by
the GEPC, International Finance Corporation and Private
Enterprise Partnership for Africa.
Mr Prempeh called for the diversification of the country's
export sector of cocoa, timber and gold to other
commodities.
He identified currency of payment, imposition of high
tariffs and trade barriers as major challenges facing
Ghana's trade in the international market and called for a
national policy that would sustain exports to neighbouring
African countries.
Mr Aryan Kizito, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of the
Ministry of Trade, Industry and President's Special
Initiatives, noted that the region was endowed with abundant
horticultural, agricultural and other resources that could
be tapped to help accelerate the pace of development.
"The only problem facing us is how to exploit the potential
to create wealth", he stressed.
Mr Kizito expressed grave concern about the importation of
rice, tomatoes wheat, and other consumable goods into the
country, which he said, could be produced and well-packaged
for export to other countries.
The workshop discussed good post-harvest handling of
horticultural products for export, requirement on standards
for exports and quality assurance, market research on trade
information and legal contracts and negotiations.
GNA
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