A wide range of Ghanaian fruits and vegetables were showcased at the 2023 edition of MACFRUT Exhibition held in Rimini, Italy.

The annual MACFRUF 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.

Members of the Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) had the opportunity to elaborate on their products through a presentation while interacting with participants from other parts of the world.

The primary goal of their participation, according to Davies Korboe, President of FAGE, was to showcase the country's best fruits and vegetables in order to demonstrate its potential as a global leader in agriculture and exports.

He said Ghana displayed a variety of products including fresh mangoes, pineapples, papayas, orange-fleshed potatoes, yams, dry coconuts and processed foods.

Mr. Korboe described FAGE's participation in the fair as a major boost for Ghana's non-traditional export (NTE) industry and an important push for the country's export sector.

He highlighted the importance of FAGE's participation in the fair as part of its strategy to promote Ghana's non-traditional export industry and increase the country's presence in the global market. He also emphasized the need for more collaboration between exporters and the government to create a more conducive environment for exports.

"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," he said.

Ghana’s 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 in strengthening trade collaborations with Ghana.

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. The amount recorded represented 20.22% of the total merchandise exports for the year.

The information was contained in the annual Non-Traditional Export Statistics Report presented by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

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).

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.

The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in collaboration with FAGE facilitated Ghana's participation in this year's edition. The delegation, led by Davies Korboe, was made up of 40 SMEs in the agricultural value chain.