General Manager of GEPA, Stephen
Normeshie, says
export development of groundnuts and cereals appear “crucial and urgent” for
foreign exchange earnings for sustainable economic development and poverty
reduction.
Ghana’s
non-traditional exports earning in 2013 was US$2.4billion, out of which groundnut
exports amounted to US$6.4 million.
Mr.
Normeshie says this needs improvement
if the government is to achieve the US$5 billion target to be generated from the
non-traditional exports sector by 2019.
A
major challenge that needs to be addressed in the export of groundnuts is the
high rate of aflatoxin contamination in groundnuts which reduces the quality of
the product to the international markets.
“Today,
exporters face two major challenges: ensuring food safety by preventing and
controlling fungus contamination of products and adapting groundnut supplies to
demand for varieties best suited to specific end-uses,” said Mr. Normeshie.
The
GEPA is targeting groundnut farmers and processors in twenty districts covering
four regions of Ghana – Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper East and Upper West – with
a series of training programmes to enhance export
quality control, management and certification of groundnut and cereal products to
the international markets.
It
seeks to train 2000 stakeholders in the groundnut value chain on Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP) with emphasis on prevention and controlling of aflatoxin
contamination on groundnuts.
The
project is funded by the European Union (EU) and supported by the Trade Related
Assistance and Quality Enabling Programme (TRAQUE), and under the auspices of
the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI).
In
Ghana, export earnings are heavily dependent on cocoa and a few largely
unprocessed commodities.
The
Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) is however diversifying the country’s agricultural
production and expanding export production volumes through the introduction of
new varieties with high oil content, pest resistance and early maturity.
The
Ghana Export Promotion Authority is of the belief that preventing and
controlling fungus contamination has the tendency of enhancing groundnuts and
cereals export quality to the international markets.
World export trade averaged 1.2 million
tons of groundnuts, valued at over US$948 million per year over the last five
years – out of which nearly two-thirds was provided by developing countries.
“Ghana
with its favourable climatic conditions and abundant rich soil has comparative
and competitive advantage in groundnuts and cereal exports and hence is well
positioned to take advantage of the international market opportunities to
develop the sector,” stated Mr. Normeshie.
Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh
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