Ghana targets 200,000 tonnes cashew exports

Ghana is targeting to export 200,000 tonnes of cashew, by 2027, Mr Eric Amoako Twum, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), said on Wednesday.

He was speaking to Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview on the sidelines of a meeting on the implementation of the National Export Strategy, vis-à-vis the One - District-One-Exportable-Product, in Sunyani.

The National Export Strategy was launched in 2013 for implementation after extensive consultation.

Its key tenets advocate the identification, development, and promotion of at least one exportable product per district.

Mr Twum explained that the Authority was pursuing a-10-year Cashew Development Plan to achieve the target.

Currently, the country is exporting approximately 70,000 tonnes of cashew, he explained.

The meeting was organised by the GEPA and attended by District Chief Executives, Coordinating Directors and other stakeholders in the export sector.

Mr Twum said the Authority was depending on the Brong-Ahafo Region for the chunk of the economic crop for export and emphasised the readiness of his outfit to support farmers for increased productivity.

He said the economic crop had a huge potential to increase the country's forex earnings.

Beside cashew, Mr Twum said yam farmers would also be supported, as the Authority worked out modalities to export the crop to Nigeria.

He explained that his outfit was also working seriously to ensure the lifting of the ban on the export of vegetables to the European market.

To this end, Mr Twum said very soon the European Union would undertake a critical assessment of the situation in connection with the ban.

The assessment, he added, would be based on packaging, quality of vegetables, information, standards and other key important areas.

Earlier, Mrs Gifty Klenam, the Chief Executive Officer of the GEPA, said the discovery of oil in commercial quantities had given the country the massive impetus and financial muscles to undertake certain projects that were germane to the economy.