Carlos Ahenkorah
Chinese consumers have expressed interest in three products from Ghana during the China International Import Exposition.
They are cocoa and processed cocoa products, including black chocolate, sheanut and processed shea products, including creams and packaged food snacks.
As a first step, an online and e-commerce firm, More Foods, which distributes all manner of snacks across China, has expressed interest in selling Ghanaian snacks in China and agreed to come to Ghana and meet producers of selected products on requirements for the Chinese market.
Most of the Chinese visitors to Ghana’s stand who tried shea-butter creams expressed interest in the products and enquired where they could get them to buy in China.
“Long after using the cream, it remains on our bodies and we consider the cream as a better natural cream than what they have seen in the market,” they indicated.
Another product that won the hearts of the Chinese visitors was cocoa liquor, particularly Takai, which was highly patronised.
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, said Ghana could realise about $50 million from the export of the three products annually.
He said assistance would be sought from the Chinese Embassy in Accra to educate and train exporters on quality and health standards as well as certification of the Chinese Food and Drugs Authority.
He said some Chinese Ministers of State and the Deputy Mayor of Shanghai, who visited the country’s stand at the exposition, were happy with what they saw.
He appealed to Ghanaian manufacturers and entrepreneurs to make preparations towards next year’s exposition since it offers great prospects to diversify exports and change the structure of Ghana’s balance of trade and payment with China.
Mr Ahenkorah said the Chinese government believes in the efforts Ghana was making to diversify her exports and that was the reason why the country was invited and supported to participate in the maiden event.
He expressed delight about the awareness created at the exposition and commended all the participants for making Ghana proud.
From Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, Shanghai