Export of agric produce to Europe difficult because local labs can’t assure quality

Export of Ghanaian agricultural produce to Germany and other European countries is difficult because local laboratories are not able to assure compliance with European standards.

The Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, Mr Berhard Abels, who made the statement, cautioned “If the local laboratories do not work well, you cannot export to Europe. He was speaking at a breakfast meeting organised by the Airport Residential Area branch of the Action Chapel last Saturday.

While saying that the country’s decision to sign the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) would open the European market for Ghanaian agricultural produce, Mr Abels reiterated that quality would not be compromised.

According to him, Ghanaian agricultural produce had often failed to meet phytosanitary conditions because the local laboratories were not up to standard.

His admonition comes at a time Ghana’s vegetable exports to the European market have been banned because they do not meet the required international standards.

At a similar meeting in June, the United States Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Robert P. Jackson, announced that $10 million was to be invested in the country for its agricultural produce to meet international standards.

Breakfast meeting

The breakfast meeting is held once every two months for Christian entrepreneurs and business owners to interact with the various foreign missions to know the business opportunities, policies and programmes which they could take advantage of.

It also offered a platform for them to interact with government officials to know the policies that could strengthen their businesses.

Mr Abels said Germany was also interested in helping Ghana to deal with the e-waste menace that posed health threats.

Other impediments to trade

On the other hand, Mr Abels said challenges, including inefficiency, corruption and opaque procedures in awarding government contracts, made it difficult for German investors to come to Ghana.

He said Cote d’Ivoire last year leapfrogged Ghana as Germany’s third largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa and called for concerted efforts for the country to regain its spot.

He, however, commended the government for taking steps to deal with the power crisis and also tackling the macroeconomic indicators to put the country on track.

“The macroeconomic indicators for Ghana are much better for Ghana now than they were two years ago. All in all, Ghana seems to be on the right track at the moment. I have been here for two years and I have noticed things are getting better. The infrastructure is getting better. I’m quite confident that in the next few years, things will get better,” the German Head of Mission said.

He also said going forward, there should be more focus on dealing with complicated bureaucracy and corruption, which slowed development.

On governance, he described Ghana as a beacon of hope for the continent and urged the citizens to come out of the 2016 election with the country’s democratic credentials further enhanced.

Advice

The Executive Bishop of the ACI, Bishop Ebenezer Obodai, urged Christian business leaders not to allow their wealth to change them.

According to him, the purpose of wealth from God was not to prevent the Christian from doing the work of God but to be of blessing to others and the Kingdom.

Rev. Kennedy Okosun, the Pastor in charge of the Airport Residential Area branch of Action Chapel, also urged Christian business owners to be ethical in their business.

He condemned situations where Christian business owners, who should be the light of the world, rather cooked their books to evade tax, deceive tax authorities and default in the payment of loans.