GEPA develops strategies to increase its market share

Company News of Monday, May 27, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-05-27

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has put in place key strategies to increase its market share in the export market and attract foreign currency into the country.

It currently supports non-traditional products such as cashew, pineapple, okra, mango, vegetables, shea butter, chilli, yam and agricultural products intended for sale. 39 export.

The product of non-traditional exports (NTE) has averaged $ 2.53 billion in recent years, but it is possible that the numbers are rising.

Already, GEPA had begun the process of formulating a 10-year National Export Development Strategy (NEDS) from 2019 to 2028 to strengthen Ghana's effective participation in the multilateral trading system.

It is also to enable the country to make the most of market opportunities in the short, medium and long term.

This is in line with the government's decision to turn the Ghanaian economy from a commodity-exporting industry into a high value-added industrialized economy through its district, factory (1D1F) and other industrial transformation program. closely related programs.

Measures

To this end, GEPA has defined a number of programs for this year and beyond to strengthen trade with the rest of the world.

These activities include the development of an exportable product in all districts of Ghana to supply the raw materials and semi-processed products needed to feed the factories currently being established in each district of the country.

Plans are also underway to implement three major programs, Innovative Design Week, which will identify, develop and present new designs from exporting companies to highlight the importance of quality packaging and labeling.

In addition, the innovative, export-oriented mentoring program to be implemented with institutions such as the National Council for Small Industries (NBSSI) and universities; and the traveling exhibitions Women in Export, which aim to give women entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop their export activities through strategic interventions in their companies.

GEPA creates strong competitiveness to improve the performance and growth of certain value chains and related services by boosting their contribution to industry, regional trade, exports and job creation.

The Trade Hub for Sustainable Development (T4SD), launched in Accra and Kumasi, aimed to strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs through the implementation of green business practices.
GEPA would also intensify its badistance to fish processors to improve the quality of processed fish for export.

This is aimed at increasing the country's foreign exchange earnings.

Discussions are currently underway with the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture for the purchase and distribution of 3,000 "Ahotor ovens" to coastal fishmongers.

It has developed a concept paper aimed at attracting more young people, particularly higher education graduates, to agriculture in order to boost employment and increase production for agriculture. # 39; export.

He collaborates with the Agency for Youth Employment for Execution.

GEPA Impact Hub

The authority also develops the architectural design for the creation of a GEPA Impact Hub.

It is a one-stop shop for exporters to access business, online and physical information, with windows provided to key export facilitation agencies, such as the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA). ), the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) within the Export Trade House building.

Support

This year, the authority, according to its management, will support Joekopan, a major exporter of vegetables, with repayable aid of GH ¢ 157,000 to increase production through the construction of a dam for irrigation and prepare for a visit of the Government of the Netherlands, one of the main destinations of export.

In addition, through Srighan Farms, GEPA is supporting GH ¢ 726,000 to help more than 1,000 growing farmers increase production to meet growing demand.

GEPA also supplies more than nine million smooth cayenne suckers to the Ekumfi Fruit Factory, Ohu Farms, Golden Riverside, Myroc Farms, Lovely Farms, Premier Foods and Vegetable, etc.

In 2018, more than 5.3 million smooth pineapple suckers were produced and distributed to the 17 producer groups of Bomart Farms, HPW Limited, Ekumfi Fruits and Juice, etc.

The authority provided the Yam Development Board with about 350 000 GH ¢ for the development and training in the production of improved yam seed in Dabala, Volta Region.

About 250,000 improved seedlings have been developed and provided to farmers for this planting season.

advisory

To improve the country's export base, GEPA has helped more than 250 customers to provide export consulting services on various products such as cashew, pineapple, okra, mango, vegetables, shea butter, chilli, yam and agricultural products in general.

Last year, 20 Ghanaian companies benefited from badistance to obtain the authorization to grant duty-free and quota-free access to about 50 products in the US market. West Africa under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Program (ETLS).

It has also helped about 42 companies obtain the ETLS system to increase their access to the ECOWAS market.

GEPA has launched a nationwide awareness campaign at the national level to raise awareness among members of the Ghana Freight Institute (GIFF) on the need to ensure accurate capture of export data. This helps to track exports and the expected good amount of currency inflows.

Last year, GEPA contacted 230 1D1F companies to evaluate them and help them prepare their exports.

She collaborated with a UNIDO consultant to set up the Market Hub, the award-winning importer and exporter market, which profiled about 120 Ghanaian companies.

Cashew

In addition, 220,000 grafted cashew seedlings were developed in 10 nurseries as part of the National Cashew Development Initiative, in collaboration with the National Association of Cashew Nuts. Ghana Cashew Industry (CIAG).

From October to November, based on the findings of the pilot project, cashew plantations in the 31 cashew nut districts, or approximately 30,000 acres of plantations, were processed, which should translate into by higher yields this season.

craft

GEPA is undertaking a number of projects in the craft sector, including the construction of a common-use hangar and the provision of equipment to the Abompe Beads Producers Association, the construction and supply of three model centers. innovation, design and incubation in Aburi, Kpetoe and Bolgatanga.

It is also involved in the rehabilitation and completion of the Abrafo Handicraft Center in collaboration with CEDECOM and the transformation of the Aburi handicraft village into a modern fairground for international exhibitions in the fields of art and art. crafts.

Price

The Chief Executive Officer of GEPA has been appointed a member of the Advisory Board of the Trade and Investment Support Center (TISI) of the International Trade Center (ITC).

This authority was also chosen at the last World Trade Promotion Organization (WTPO) 2018 conference in Paris to host the WTPO conference in 2020.

He also won the WPTO 2018 Award for Best Use of Information Technologies at the WTPO 2018 Conference in Paris.