Vegetable exporters target US$7m revenue by 2023
Vegetable producers and exporters in the country are projecting an annual revenue of US$7million between now and next year as contribution to the non-traditional export sector (NTE).
According to the producers, this is as a result of increasing demands in the EU and US markets coupled with high production capacity in Ghana.
Already, statistics from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) show that the NTE sector contributed US$3.3billion in 2021, representing an increase of about 17 percent over the 2020 earnings of US$2.8billion.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the launch of Ghana Vegetables, President of the Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Dr. Felix Kamassah however, lamented the impact of the continuous depreciation of the cedi on the cost of freight.
“We are scaling-up production, expanding markets to other continents and seeing how best we can ship by sea to increase revenue,” he said.
Launch of Ghana Vegetables
The projection comes on the back of the launch of Ghana Vegetables by two leading actors in Ghana’s fruit and vegetable sector have joined forces to increase the production and supply of quality fruits and vegetables in Ghana and to boost exports to overseas destinations.
The Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association of Ghana (VEPEAG) and the Ghana Association of Vegetable Exporters (GAVEX) announced the birth of Ghana Vegetables, an action plan set to revolutionise the fruits and vegetables industry in Ghana by promoting safe fruit and vegetable production, good postharvest handling and distribution, and the use of good and environmentally sustainable agricultural practices.
Commenting on the milestone, President of VEPEAG, Dr Felix Mawuli Kamassah noted “there have been attempts to consolidate the efforts and strategies of the VEPEAG and GAVEX to present a formidable front to pursue reforms that will benefit the producers and exporters of fresh vegetables. We are happy to announce the crystallisation of our efforts into the formation of Ghana Vegetables, a blueprint that will spur the growth of fruits and vegetables industry in Ghana while taking advantage of existing export market opportunities.”
Source: Ghana Business
