Earnings from non-traditional exports increase by 22%

Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd April ?99 - Ghana earned a total of 401.7 million dollars from non-traditional exports in 1998 compared to 329 million dollars during 1997 representing an increase of 22.08 per cent, data from the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) released Friday said. The main areas of increase are agricultural products, processed and semi-processed products and handicrafts.

Comparative statistics indicate that agricultural products for 1998 totalled 77.8 million dollars compared to 57.4 million dollars in 1997. Processed and semi-processed products totalled 317.5 million dollars for the period as against 266.9 million dollars in 1997, while handicrafts fetched 6.387 million dollars in 1998 compared to 4.719 in 1997. Major earnings under agricultural products came from fish and sea foods which totalled 21 million dollars compared to 18.7 million dollars in 1997.

Pineapples fetched 8.76 million dollars, down from 9.6 million dollars, yams earned 4.75 million dollars, up from 4.54 million dollars and bananas fetched 2.68 million dollars compared with 1.834 million dollars in 1997.

Others are raw/lint cotton that leapt to 8.5 million dollars in 1998, compared to a meagre 6,230 dollars, robusta coffee which earned 8.25 million dollars, up from 3.6 million dollars and sheanuts, which earned 7.89 million dollars compared with 6.72 million dollars in 1997.

Of processed and semi-processed products which totalled 317.5 million dollars, wood products covering furniture and parts, veneer, plywood and railway sleepers among others raked in 84.59 million dollars, compared to 70.9 million dollars in 1997 while aluminium products fetched 12.1 million dollars against 5.75 million dollars for 1997.

Prepared foods and beverages, including tuna loins/canned tuna brought in 77.2 million dollars, up from 49.8 million dollars in 1997, cocoa butter fetched 57 million dollars, down from 71.92 million dollars and cocoa liquor earned 11.89 million dollars, down from 14.59 million dollars in 1997.

Palm oil earned 19.66 million dollars in 1998 as against 8.68 million dollars in 1997, representing 126.57 per cent increase. Items in the handicraft sector that earned 6.38 million dollars included basket ware, rattan/cane products, wood carvings and kente.