Ghana Export Promotion Authority educate exporters, farmers on export trade investments
The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) through its export school on Thursday began a two-day intensive training in export marketing for exporters, corporative farmers, smock and basket weavers from various districts in the Upper East Region.
The training which is expected to end on Friday, would look at export marketing, export quality management and export financing as part of efforts to inform the traders on export opportunities in the Region.
The Ghana export school was established to address the international trade-training needs of the export community, agencies supporting export trade development, businesses and personnel within the export product supply system.
Addressing participants at the workshop Ms. Maria Mensah, Upper East Regional Zonal head of the GEPA entreated participants to take due advantage of newly identified products such as chili pepper and sesame seeds which are high in energy and contain many health benefiting nutrients.
She indicated that minerals and vitamins which are essential for healthy growth could be promoted as export commodities for the three northern regions, and reiterated the call for them to venture into the business because it has great value.
Mr. Samuel Brew an official of the GEPA who facilitated the training workshop, advised the participants to be circumspect when making export decisions and said the growth in world trade had come with a corresponding growth in competition between goods from different parts of the globe.
He indicated that Non-traditional exports presented lots of opportunities to most Ghanaian businesses and had grown from a meager 2 million dollars in 1984 to a staggering $1.65 billion in 2010. He added that exports of over 300 products by over 1000 exporters made up this amount.
Mr. Brews stressed the need for participants to identify export market opportunities, saying “Export is impossible without market opportunities and you cannot export to a non-existent market, neither is it advisable to attempt to export to a market in decline. Before exporting, be sure to have identified a promising market”.
Mr. Theophilus Okine, an Official at the Customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority reiterated the role customs play in the export trade. “As one of its numerous responsibilities in the country, customs oversee to the exportation of goods from one country to the other and facilitates the movement of export goods across countries”, he noted.
He urged participants to acquire the necessary documentation such as movement certificates, certificates from regulatory bodies, invoices, packing list as well as way bills before undergoing export procedures.
He cautioned participants to engage the services of recognized and licensed agents when exporting.
Mr. Peter Obeng, an agricultural expert at the GEPA encouraged the participants to adopt standardized agricultural practices and post-harvest handling of selected agricultural produce.
He indicated fresh fruits and vegetables were grown under wide range of climatic and diverse geographical conditions, using various agricultural inputs and technologies on farms of varying sizes, and said in each primary production area, it was necessary to consider particular practices that promote the production of safe fruits and vegetables.
Some of the Participants expressed delight to the organizers and said the training had gone a long way to educate them on the various aspect of the export trade which would enable them make wise export decisions in future.
Source: GNA