A 20-member Italian trade delegation comprising leading players in the manufacturing and agro-processing industries will take part in this year's “Agrofood & PlastPrintPack West Africa 2022” exhibition.

The event is scheduled to take place at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) between 29th November and 1st December 2022.

The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) will set up a dedicated Italian Pavilion to host all 20 Italian companies specialising in the production of equipment for plastics, printing and packaging as well as in the agro-processing processing industry.

Some Italian companies taking part in the 3-day exhibition include world-renowned machine, tools and equipment manufacturers including Promer srl, Cevolani, Melegari Technology, Riello and Irritec.

Commenting on the importance of the participation of the Italian trade delegation in the exhibition, Dr Alessandro Gerbino, the Director of the Italian Trade Agency for West Africa, says Italy looks closely at the value addition processes Ghanaain industries are undergoing, as Italy can offer competitive tailor-made solutions to support such trends.

"Italy is famed for its advanced knowledge and technology in the agrofood processing and manufacturing industries. Possibilities of customization, reliability of the equipment, quality of training and technical assistance are the distinctive elements of the Italian solutions, which have proven to offer better return on investment” he stated.

“We are witnessing a growing interest in Italy’s direction, which we are supporting by setting up opportunities for companies to connect and discuss cooperation” Dr Gerbino further adds.

In 2022, over 25 delegations of Ghanaian entrepreneurs have visited sector-specific events in Italy, such as EIMA for agric machinery, Macfrut for agribusiness, Ipack IMA for packaging solutions, and have returned with new ideas to boost their businesses.

Italy will hold the largest foreign national pavilion at Agrofood & PlastPrintPack WestAfrica 2022. The presence of such a large group of companies shows the commitment of the Italian companies to Ghana’s market, as the creation of local partnerships and the proximity to customers and end-users are key for a solid cooperation.