Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), has called on exporters to avoid taking short-cut in meeting their exports orders and work to improve standard and quality of products.

Speaking at the 76th National Exporters’ forum in Accra, Mr Gideon Quarcoo, Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, said exporters must shun all quick fix solutions and play by the rules and regulations of their target markets.

“I urge exporters to pay attention to quality issues and avoid practices that can lead to a ban of exports from Ghana,” he said at the forum aimed at providing an opportunity for interaction between government officials and exporters.

Ghana has from February - March this year received more than 300 food alerts on some export products, mostly from the European buyers.

Mr Quarcoo said while GEPA is working to enhance access of Ghanaian products into the international market, there is the need for exporters to pay attention to increased supply volumes, higher quality standards and the willingness to take the required risks to embrace market expansion for their products.

He said GEPA would heighten education on export quality management practices among producers in order to weed out the negative outcomes.

Recounting GEPA’s activities in 2014, Mr Quarcoo said the Authority coordinated the participation of export companies in five international trade exhibitions in Germany, China, Turkey, Cote d’Ivoire and Germany, to build appetite for Ghanaian products.

There are also training of pineapple out-growers, training of producers and processors of palm oil, training of 21 Foreign Service officers to appreciate and effectively engage in commercial representation activities in Ghana Missions abroad.

He gave credit to Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF) for the continued and increased support for the Authorities programmes and activities for the development and promotion of exports.

Mr Murtala Mohammed, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, said the Ghana Exim Bank is expected to begin operations in 2016.

He
said a draft bill on the Bank has been prepared for consideration by cabinet.
Mr Mohammed said when established the Exim Bank would be a vehicle for the consolidation of the current export finance activities of the EDAIF, Eximguaranty Company and Export Finance Company.

He said the Trade Ministry is also collaborating with GEPA to implement and Export Development Programme to rekindle the interest and involvement of districts and local farmers in the export chain drive.

Products such as vegetables, sugar loaf and the smooth cayenne varieties of pineapple among others are being supported to yield critical production mass for export.

“I take this opportunity to urge exporters in these sectors to apply good agricultural practices in the cultivation of their products to prevent the receipts of alerts from the buyers,” he said.

Mr Mohammed said Ghana is establishing its presence in the Asia market in order to diversify and sustain exports.

GEPA is targeting $ 2.6 billion in the non-traditional export earnings for 2015, an increase of about 3.4 per cent above the $ 2.51 billion recorded in 2014.