Ghana Exports Promotion Authority (GEPA) has set for itself an ambitious target of $5.3 billion in trade volume of Non-Traditional Exports (NTE) by 2021.

Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, Afua Asabea Asare who disclosed this to a gathering of exports stakeholders believed that the target though ambitious is achievable considering the initiatives being implemented by her outfit.

She explained that the initial target of $10 billion was revised downwards to the new target after a market survey was conducted and research activities embarked on to ascertain the viability of the target.

Speaking at the 78th National Exporters' Forum at Ghana's Shippers' House in Accra on Wednesday, GEPA CEO reaffirmed her outfits commitment to ensuring the manifestation of their mandate to ensure that the country's exports sector is vibrant and contributes as it should to the nation's growth and development agenda.

Afua Asabea Asare detailed "the overall objective of the National Export Strategy is to develop the potential of the Non-Traditional Export sector to enable it make maximum contribution to GDP growth and the national development to consolidate and enhance Ghana's lower middle-income status, create jobs opportunities and ensure better standards of living for Ghanaians. To this end, GEPA has over the past year been committed to a number of strategic interventions geared increasing the contribution of Non-Traditional Exports, from current $2.55 TO $5.3 billion by the end of 2021."

Strategies to achieve $5.3 billion target

Key among strategies to achieve the ambitious target of the Non-Traditional Exports to country's economy is the One District One Exportable Product initiative of the Authority.

Under this programme, Ghana is liaising with the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to identify at least one crop to be developed for exports.

This initiative will also be made open to private partners to ensure the critical aspect of value addition is not lost in the grand scheme of things.

Other interventions rolled out includes the supply of 60, 000 hybrid seedlings worth GHC 600, 000 to farmers in the Central Region under the Coconut Export Revitalisation Project; provision of 15 million suckers of pineapple at a cost of GHC4.2 million to farmers with expected returns of $13.1 in a few years; pilot mass spraying exercise of 70, 000 acres of Cashew plantations annually in Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region with the project expected to be expanded to other farmers soon.

Establishing centres at malls, terminals to promote Made in Ghana products

Reflecting on plans of the Authority in the next five years, Afua Asabea Asare revealed intentions of GEPA to open centres in malls and other trading facilities across the globe.

She was confident such a move will provide easy platform for Ghanaian exports to showcase their products to the world and serve as access to other markets.

The GEPA CEO hinted that before long the new Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport will see the establishment of one of such centres to promote only products made in the country.

She suggested "We targeted 5 years and during these five years we intend to do a lot more to project the export business in Ghana and we will be doing this through opening shops around the globe. We want to sell and exhibit purely Made in Ghana goods. We want to be seen in all the malls around the world. These are some of the things we want to do and we are starting with our own Terminal 3. We want to put a Ghana shop there where you will find only made in Ghana goods. And also warehouses so we can aggregate products that are leaving Ghana for distribution to other countries"

The 78th National Exporters' Forum also witnessed the launch of a new portal that will facilitate imports and exports by creating a platform for buyers and sellers to interact.

The portal provides details necessary for transaction to occur and lists of all documentation and country-specific requirements and regulatory framework

The Buyer Portal of the GEPA Market Hub as it was named also contains all exporters and companies recognised by Ghana Exports Promotion Authority and contains information on every organisation signed up with them.

The portal can be assessed from any device and its user friendly.