Exporters want access to China

Various exporters have expressed their disappointment over the inability of Ghanaian exporters and producers to gain access to the trade market of China.

Exporters who attended the 2nd 2007 Exporters’ Forum organized by the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) in Accra observed that access to China’s market has become more complicated due to freight problems in Ghana.

The other difficulty is that China produces most of the fresh food that Ghana produces. The exporters have therefore called on government and the GEPC to improve existing relations with China in order to get easy access to their market.

Executive Secretary of the GEPC Edward Collins Boateng in his address charged Ghanaian exporters and producers to conduct proper research into China’s trade market to know viable areas in which exporters could target and take advantage with strategic positioning.

He also cautioned against a narrow agenda to visit China to shop but rather look for opportunities available to Ghanaian exporters.

Other issues raised by the exporters was how the GEPC can assist them to introduce more exportables since Ghana’s exports are similar and limited and financial assistance to producers to improve on the quality of their produce.

There was also complains that some EU countries like Italy which are supposed to be duty free and quota free are charging duty for goods which come from Ghana. The exporters also called for well staffed quality control units to help check the quality of exports because Ghana is gradually being labeled for bad and contaminated products.

Mr. Boateng announced that the GEPC has upgraded its website with a CBI affiliate which produces access to a database containing information on the twenty-seven EU countries Ghana exports to in addition to market survey, export manuals, market access reports and CBI news bulletins.

He encouraged exporters to take advantage of the database to enhance their capacity to succeed under the stiff competition on the international global market.

Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, PSI and PSD Gifty Ohene-Konadu observed that there are a lot of challenges that need to be addressed, adding that consultations are on going with various stakeholders to fine tune the Ghana Trade Policy Document that will become the blueprint for an accelerated development of the trade sector.

The Executive Secretary of the GEPC also noted that the Council will continue to aggressively improve their relationship with exporters association to re-position their client-centered market and product development strategies and enhance capacity building programmes to make the achievement of the projected $1 billion target for 2007 a reality.

By John Ewusie MENSAH ewusie.mensah@dailyexpressonline.com