Some shippers and exporters at the forum
Exporters have been cautioned against shipping products in substandard packages which expose cargo to damage during handling.
They have, therefore, been encouraged to use appropriate trucks with required temperatures to ferry perishable vegetables and fruits from production centres to the airport for shipment.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), Benonita Bismarck, disclosed this when her outfit organised the seventh in the series of Exporters’ Forum for exporters and shipping service providers operating at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Accra.
She said the authority recognised the need to equip shippers with information, knowledge and capacity to gain competitive advantage in international trade; hence, the organisation of regular workshops to educate and sensitise them to issues of importance in the industry.
The event, which was held on the theme: ‘The Utilisation of Appropriate Logistics for Safe and Secured Exportable Products at KIA’, follows previous fora organised by the GSA for exporters in Tamale, Accra, Takoradi, Kumasi, Somanya and Bolgatanga.
Officials from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) and Damco Logistics spoke on the use of appropriate packaging materials and the use of cargo worthy trucks for export. A resource person from Air Ghana shared his company’s experience in facilitating exports at the KIA.
Some shipping service providers and exporters appealed to the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) operating at the KIA such as the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)-Customs Division, Plant Protection and Regulatory Service Directorate (PPRSD), Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to streamline their activities to ensure timely regulatory compliance to avoid delays.
The Head of Research, Monitoring & Evaluation at the GSA, Emmanuel Arku, sympathised with shippers and shipping service providers for the severe impact of Covid-19 on their businesses.
“As the situation is gradually being normalised by the lifting of restrictions, the dynamics of international trade would change and therefore shippers would be required to refocus, equip and build their capacity to meet the emerging trends of these markets through policy responses, improved best shipping practices and taking personal responsibilities,” he stated.
Over 60 participants, including exporters and export trade associations such as the Vegetable Producers & Exporters Association of Ghana (VEPEAG) and some shipping service providers, attended the seminar.
A business desk report