Bilateral trade between Italy and Ghana has surged from over €521million in 2021 to a current €600million, Italian Ambassador to Ghana Daniela d’Orlandi has said.

“Our bilateral trade has increased tremendously notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 it was over €521million and has been growing, reaching €600million in August this year,” she said.

Ambassador d’Orlandi was speaking to B&FT at the 7th International Trade Show & Conference on Agriculture, Food & Beverage Technology on West Africa Agrofood and Plastprintpack, and said most of Italy’s exports to Ghana are technology and machinery.

“We are here, throughout this exhibition, to promote further relations with Ghana and West Africa in business and commerce with Italian and Ghanaian companies,” Madam d’Orlandi noted.

20 Italian companies

With the largest national pavilion at the event, 20 companies from Italy are participating in the exhibition organised by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA).

Some of the companies at the event were Miele, Incubatric Maino, Promer, Simex and Irritec.

Most of these companies manufacture machinery that specialises in the production of plastic, printing, packaging and the agribusiness industry.

“Our expertise in technology, machinery and knowledge can be a great contribution to the development of local industry in Ghana and transformation of the rich natural resources and raw materials to create added value. Ghanaian companies can learn more about the possibility of upgrading local production through Italian technology,” she added.

Italian technology has been widely appreciated globally and has earned its reputation by consistent efforts with features including flexibility, reliability and quality of output – technology that has been recognised by many businesses worldwide with high return on investment.

“Italy, through its leading manufacturing companies, can be a leading partner with Ghana; and we want to do just that,” she said.

Over €60million of machinery and equipment was traded with Ghana in 2021, with many Ghanaian companies sticking with Italian technologies.

About the event

The 7th Agrofood & Plastprintpack West Africa 2022 is organised by Fairtrade Messe in collaboration with its local partner, Geovision.

The event called on West African countries to seize opportunities at the fair to increase production, particularly in agriculture.

The three-day conference – Tuesday, November 29 to Thursday, December 1, 2022 – was aimed at helping countries in the West African sub-region increase self-sufficiency and also improve supply in the agricultural value chain.