GEPA to support exporters deal with packaging

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) says it would collaborate with the Institute of Packaging to organise programmes for exporters to enable them learn about the value of good presentation of their products.
Speaking in an interview with the GNA at the 19th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), Mr Gideon Quarcoo, Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, said although there has been improvements in packaging, it is still far from the level it ought to be.

“The call for packaging continues. We have seen some improvements but they are no means near where we ought to be. So we continue to encourage our producers to look into packaging. You may have some good products but if the packaging is not attractive you may not do well,” he said.

Mr Quarcoo expressed the hope that the institute of packaging would get more involved with the exporting community through education on how to present their products.

“We certainly would collaborate with them to organise programmes for the exporters so they can learn about the value of packaging. While others may consider packaging an expense, it is really an investment in pushing your product,” Mr Quarcoo said.

On Ghana’s showing at the fair, Mr Quarcoo said the exporters in Xiamen have positive stories to report about their participation.

He said most of the exporters have concretised some processes with partners while others took the opportunity to look for value addition technology so that they could actually transform their business and also upgrade processes for their production.

“All told it is a good showing for Ghana and we ought to be feeling very good about it,” he said.

Mr Quarcoo said GEPA would continue to meet with the exporters and to strategies on how to effectively work together to implement the National Export Strategy to meet the target of $5 billion from non-traditional exports by 2019.

Mrs Agnes Gifty Adjei-Sam, Deputy Director said the objectives of Ghana’s participation in the fair, including attraction of investment and exporters striking long term partnership deals had been achieved.

“To achieve this aim we sent the profile of the exhibitors to them ahead of time and there is a matchmaking session where the exporters met people who are interested in doing business with them,” she said.

“Now it is not selling today and going away but they would always have these partners with them to continue doing business with them,” she added.

Another objective of participating in the fair is for the exporters to learn from their Chinese counterparts, especially in the areas of packaging and studying their technologies and transferring them into the processing of products.

“Ghana has durable products but the presentation is not as good so when buyers come we don’t get the premium price for the product. We are proud to say that some of the exporters have already picked up technology to package their products,” she said.

“Lastly, the fair although not a sellers’ fair, enable the exporters to sell some of their products to defray their travel and accommodation cost as well as other expenses.

“We want to say that we have largely achieved these objectives. We hope to build more synergies with Chinese companies, package the products better and that would lead to getting more customers over a long period as well as selling our products in China,” Mrs Adjei-Sam added.

Ghana is participating in the CIFIT fair for the second successive year with the aim to consolidate the gains made in the previous edition.

The GEPA under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade coordinated the participation of about 19 companies in the CIFIT, showcasing products such as handicrafts, shea butter, cocoa paste, cocoa products and moringa.