Panelists has urged local businesses seeking to enter the export market to adhere to regulatory and industry standards in the global market if they want to be competitive.

They must also work on improving on the packaging and barcoding of their products to meet demands and to ensure their visibility in the market.

The speakers also called for effective collaboration among the various government agencies in the promotion and support for exporters.

Private Sector Empowerment

Organised by Ghana Export Promotion Authority in collaboration with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre the business seminar among others seek to empower the private sector, especially the small and medium enterprises, to help boost export by adding value to their products.

It was held on the theme: “Made in Ghana: globally accepted.” Mr Anthony Sikpah, President of the Federation of Ghanaian Exporters, said the global market is a major determinant of products, which are globally accepted.

“We need to begin from the market as consumers have a choice,” he said, adding that the work for Ghanaian products to meet global acceptance is work in progress.

He said while there were some improvements in the area of packaging, they were no means near where it ought to be and there was the need to continue to encourage producers to look into packaging.

Global Quality Standards

Mr Maxwell Osei-Kusi, Director of Research and International Cooperation at GEPA, said sustainability in meeting global quality standards was key to ensuring success of Ghanaian products on the international market.

He said GEPA had continuously organised programmes for exporters so they could learn and understand the value of meeting the various standards that are in demand in the various markets.

Mr Osei-Kusi said non-adherence to international standards in the recent past led to seizure of some exports at the port of entry and ban on others, especially in Europe.

Mrs Felicia Adams an officer at the Inspectorate Division of the Ghana Standards Authority said exporters must at all times adhere to technical requirements for products in the global market, adding the Authority was ready to assist exporters deal with these export requirements.

Earlier, Mr Albert Kassim Diwura, Deputy Chief Executive Officer said GEPA, said the Authority is on course to double the country’s annual non-traditional export earnings from the current $2.6 billion to $5.3 billion by 2021.

He said in this direction, GEPA had started work on a new national export development strategy to help achieve that goal.

Mr Diwura said GEPA in the last two years focused on key four sectors namely agriculture, manufacturing, services and industrial art to move the export agenda forward.

He called for collaboration between GEPA and private sector stakeholders to boost the export of non-traditional crops.

On his part, Mr Edward Ashong-Lartey, the Director of Investor Services at the GIPC, said the centre was ready to collaborate with other state agencies and private sector players to promote the country’s products on the international stage.

Source: GNA