The Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) had the opportunity to participate in the 2023 MACFRUT exhibition held in Rimini, Italy.
Ghana’s participation in this year’s edition of the global fair was facilitated by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in collaboration with FAGE.
The annual MACFRUT exhibition is the only supply chain trade fair for professionals in the fruit and vegetables sector with a focus on building synergies between businesses from different parts of the world.
The Ghanaian delegation which was led by Davies Korboe included 40 SMEs in the country’s agricultural value chain.
A wide range of Ghanaian fruits and vegetables were showcased at the exhibition stage.
The Ghanaian delegation took advantage of the participation opportunity to elaborate on the country’s diverse fruits and vegetable potentials through various presentations and interactions with participants from other parts of the world.
President of FAGE and leader of the Ghanaian delegation, Davies Korboe said the primary objective of his team’s participation was to showcase the country’s best fruits and vegetables and to expose the sector potential of Ghana’s agriculture exports.
He said Ghana displayed a variety of products including fresh mangoes, pineapples, papayas, orange-fleshed potatoes, yams, dry coconuts and processed foods at the fair.
Mr. Korboe described FAGE’s participation in the fair as a major boost for Ghana’s non-traditional export (NTE) industry and essential push for the country’s export sector.
Read also: GEPA engages local exporters and bankers in resource mobilization forum
He further stressed the importance of FAGE’s participation in the fair as part of strategy to promote Ghana’s non-traditional export industry and increase the country’s presence at the global market.
Mr. Korboe also emphasized the need for more collaboration between exporters and the government to create a more conducive exports environment in the country.
“We saw it as an opportunity for Ghanaian exporters to showcase their products and explore new export markets. FAGE’s presence at the fair demonstrates the potential of Ghana’s export industry and the commitment of the government and private sector to its development,” the FAGE President indicated.
Ghana’s Deputy Ambassador to Italy, Mrs. Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman who was present at the fair expressed her satisfaction with FAGE’s participation in the fair, stating that it was an excellent opportunity for Ghana to showcase its export potential to the world.
She also called on the Italian government to help strengthen trade collaborations with Ghana.
The CEO of GEPA, Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, attributed the positive development to various interventions implemented under the framework of the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS), such as the Youth in Export Programme, Export School, and Training for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).
According to the 2023 annual Non-Traditional Export Statistics Report presented by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Ghana’s non-traditional exports (NTEs) for 2022 reached USD 3,531,048,234, a 6% growth over USD 3,330,317,588 in 2021 representing 20.22% of the total merchandise exports for the year.
MACFRUT is an international trade fair that brings together key players in the fruit and vegetable sector from across the globe, featuring over 1,100 exhibitors from over 40 different countries.
