Ghana’s handicrafts sector recorded about 500 per cent growth in exports, making it the fastest-growing segment within the country’s non-traditional export sector, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has announced.

Mr Rashid Raymond Kramer, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEPA in charge of Marketing and Promotions, disclosed this during the Eye on Port media forum powered by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

Mr Kramer said the remarkable growth reflected increasing global demand for Ghanaian cultural products and handmade artefacts.

According to him, products such as ornaments, Adinkra-inspired items, paintings, woodcrafts and other handicrafts were attracting growing interest in international markets.

Mr Kramer noted that changing global consumer preferences had increased demand for handmade and culturally distinctive products.

He explained that Ghanaian handicrafts were gaining popularity due to their unique designs, craftsmanship and cultural significance.

He said the sector possessed enormous growth potential and could become a major contributor to Ghana’s export earnings if given the needed support.

He identified textiles, garments and fashion products as another area with significant export opportunities, citing growing international demand for products such as kente and other Ghanaian fabrics.

Mr Kramer said Ghanaian creative and cultural products continued to gain recognition globally and urged stakeholders to invest in branding, quality improvement and market development to sustain the momentum.

He added that the growing acceptance of Ghanaian products in international markets demonstrated the competitiveness of locally produced goods and their ability to generate foreign exchange for the country.

He noted that GEPA has identified value addition as the central pillar for achieving sustainable growth in Ghana’s export sector and creating jobs under the government’s 24-hour economy initiative.

Mr Kramer said Ghana could significantly increase export earnings by processing its agricultural products instead of exporting them in their raw form, adding that commodities such as yam, coconut, cocoa, mango and pepper offered substantial opportunities for value addition.

According to him, Ghana’s agricultural products already enjoy strong demand in international markets, making processing and industrialisation the next logical step in maximising export revenues.

He said many farmers and exporters had begun embracing processing activities, including the production of cocoa butter, cocoa cake, shea butter, dried fruits and other semi-processed products.

He explained that value addition enabled producers to earn higher returns while reducing post-harvest losses and improving product shelf life.

Mr Kramer said Ghana possessed significant competitive advantages, including abundant agricultural resources and favourable access to major international markets.

He urged investors to take advantage of opportunities within the export sector to establish processing facilities and support Ghana’s industrial transformation agenda.