Dokua Asiamah Adjei
Ghana recorded a 6 per cent growth in Non-Traditional Exports raking in $ 3,531,048,234 in 2022.
Last year, the sector recorded revenue of $ 3, 330,317,588 in spite of the global economic challenges.
Out of this, the agriculture subsector contributed 4 per cent, handicraft 2.3 per cent while manufacturing and semi processed products contributed 83.2 per cent.
Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Dokua Asiamah Adjei in charge of international trade at the launch of the annual NTE Statistics report for 2022, said the NTE sector has been the key driver of economic growth providing foreign exchange and employment opportunities for many Ghanaians.
She commended the efforts of individuals within the export value chain for their contribution to the sector.
“It is therefore refreshing to see our NTE’s have continued to show resilience in the face global economic challenges. I am very pleased with the outcome of the 2022 Non-Traditional Exports statistics as it is a testament of the relentless work put in by every individual along the export value chain,” she said.
According to Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) Chief Executive, Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, the top ten NTE products include cocoa paste, cashew nuts, cocoa butter, iron and steel circles, rod sheets billets and articles of plastics.
The rest are aluminum plates, sheets and coils, canned tuna natural rubber sheets, cocoa powder and shea oil.
She said the value of the top ten leading products amounted to $2,150,085,426 representing 60.9 per cent of the total NTE earnings for 2022.
She also noted that the ECOWAS market remained the leading destination of the total market accounting for 34.59 per cent followed by the EU and UK markets contributing 31.90 per cent.
Dr. Asabea Asare said GEPA is leading the implementation of a 10 year National Export Development strategy with the objective of increasing NTE’s to $ 25.3 billion by 2029.
She said the strategy would be achieved through targeted programmes and interventions anchored on strategic pillars of the National Export Development Strategy Assessment (NEDS).
By Ebenezer Amponsah