Ghana business delegation in the Netherlands to look for opportunities in food processing and packaging
A delegation of business people from Ghana are in the Netherlands to look for opportunities in food processing technologies and packaging, a joint press release from the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana, copied to ghanabusinessnews.com says.
The 23-member delegation from Ghana led by the Private Enterprise Federation (PEF), the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and GhanaVeg is on a week-long tour with the goal of promoting cooperation, investment and knowledge exchange between Ghanaian and Dutch businesses, the release said.
The release noted that the delegation is visiting a wide range of companies in the Netherlands active in poultry, aquaculture, fruit and vegetables processing.
The programme, it stated, is complemented with matchmaking, a visit to the Interpak fair in Düsseldorf, business networking events and a packaging workshop.
The trade mission follows after a mission last year to the Netherlands on food and beverage processing and agricultural inputs, it added.
According to the release, the mission complements the efforts of the Netherlands on private sector development in Ghana’s agricultural sector, a sector accounting for over 20 per cent of Ghana’s GDP.
“Stimulating food processing could help reduce post-harvest losses and contribute to increased trade in products less dependent on cold chains and phytosanitary inspection,” it said, adding that, “the Netherlands is among Ghana’s biggest trade partners and the second largest exporter of agri-food worldwide, exporting €65 billion worth of vegetables, fruit, flowers, meat and dairy products each year.”
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ghana, Ron Strikker was quoted as saying: “This trade mission resonates well with the government’s renewed focus on promoting agriculture, value addition and industrialization. The mission is yet another example of how the Netherlands and Ghana are growing together.”
“It is our hope that the Ghanaian companies participating in this trade mission will not only receive accurate information on availability of new markets and valuable networking opportunities from participants from the Kingdom of Netherlands and other partaking countries, but may also be privileged with viable partnerships including financing and innovative technologies to enhance their businesses in the near future,” Nana Osei Bonsu, CEO of PEF said.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi