Govt pushes for EU inspectors in Ghana to curb export losses

The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry is working with the European Union. They aim to reduce export rejections and improve access to EU markets.

Sector minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare leads this initiative. It will deploy EU-accredited inspectors in Ghana. These inspectors will conduct pre-shipment checks on perishable goods at ports.

The goal is to ensure these goods meet EU standards before export. “This will drastically cut down on goods being rejected or destroyed,” the Minister said. This change could save exporters significant costs.

Ghana faced major losses in 2014, over US$30 million, due to an EU ban. The ban affected gourds and certain Asian vegetables because of pest concerns.

In addition, the government plans to upgrade local laboratories. This will help align them with global sanitary and quality testing standards. “We are committed to upgrading our local laboratories,” she affirmed.

These improvements are expected to enhance Ghana’s competitiveness in international markets. They will also increase export reliability and minimize compliance-related losses. Overall, this strategy aims to strengthen Ghana’s position as a trusted trade partner within the EU supply chain.