Value addition to farm products into exportable goods for the international market has made giant gains as the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) says earnings have exceeded a US$5 billion mark for the first time, about 30 per cent growth over the previous year, for the country’s non-traditional export.
According to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEPA in charge of Marketing and Promotions, Mr Rashid Raymond Kramer, this feat represented a major milestone in Ghana’s aim to diversify its export base and reduce dependence on traditional exports.
While disclosing this during the Eye on Port media forum powered by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Mr. Kramer said the achievement is a demonstration of the growing contribution of non-traditional exports to the national economy and gave a strong foundation for reaching Ghana’s target of US$10 billion in non-traditional export earnings by 2030.
He explained that the significant growth was largely due to increased value addition and strong international demand for Ghanaian products.
The Deputy GEPA Chief Executive revealed that cocoa products, such as cocoa butter and cocoa cake specifically contributed significantly to the export performance, generating more than US$800 million in export earnings.
Other commodities, including cashew, shea products, coconut, yam, mango and processed agricultural products, also recorded strong performances on the international market, Mr. Kramer added.
He indicated that another factor driving the growth was the shift towards processed and semi-processed products by exporters instead of raw materials enabling them to earn higher revenues while reducing post-harvest losses.
The GEPA Chief Executive Officer further stated that value addition remained critical to increasing export earnings and creating jobs along agricultural value chains.
He revealed that GEPA undertakes an Accelerated Export Development Programme that seeks to support businesses to enhance product quality, penetrate international markets and boost the competitiveness of Ghanaian exports.
Mr Kramer is optimistic that continuous investment in processing, logistics and market development would further boost growth in the sector and make Ghana a leading exporter of value-added products on the continent.
He said GEPA would keep engaging stakeholders to broaden market access and support exporters to take advantage of emerging trends in global trade
