Sunyani, Oct. 3, GNA - The volume of Ghana's non-traditional exports have increased from two million dollars in 1984 to 893 million dollars in 2007, Mr. Lawrence Akwasi Prempeh, General Manager of Ghana Export Promotion Council, said in Sunyani on Tuesday. He said at least 3,000 registered products were currently being exported by more than 10,000 exporters.

Mr Prempeh was speaking at the opening of a three-day workshop on export marketing fundamentals for exporters, financial institutions, and small and medium scale enterprises.

The aim of the workshop was to provide basic information on practical export marketing techniques and upgrading marketing operating skills of exporters. It was organized by the GEPC, International Finance Corporation and Private Enterprise Partnership for Africa. Mr Prempeh called for the diversification of the country's export sector of cocoa, timber and gold to other commodities. He identified currency of payment, imposition of high tariffs and trade barriers as major challenges facing Ghana's trade in the international market and called for a national policy that would sustain exports to neighbouring African countries. Mr Aryan Kizito, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and President's Special Initiatives, noted that the region was endowed with abundant horticultural, agricultural and other resources that could be tapped to help accelerate the pace of development.

"The only problem facing us is how to exploit the potential to create wealth", he stressed.

Mr Kizito expressed grave concern about the importation of rice, tomatoes wheat, and other consumable goods into the country, which he said, could be produced and well-packaged for export to other countries. The workshop discussed good post-harvest handling of horticultural products for export, requirement on standards for exports and quality assurance, market research on trade information and legal contracts and negotiations.