Packaging Exhibition launched

Accra, March 25, GNA - An international exhibition aimed at improving packaging for industry was on Thursday launched in Accra with a call on the industry to set good standards on the local scene before moving into the global market.

Major Courage Quashigah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said due to the competitiveness of the global market there was the need to satisfy the local market as before the global one, adding that most of the time it was the other way round.

The exhibition dubbed Afrik' Embal 2004 International Packaging Exhibition is jointly organised by Axes Marketing of Cote d'Ivoire and the Institute of packaging, Ghana and scheduled for October.

It is to showcase packaging materials, packaging machines, processing equipment and ancillaries to bring about significant improvement in packaging and handling of good in Ghana.

The Minister said packaging played a crucial role in facilitating production and marketing of goods, and expressed the hope that the fair would provide the right platform for exhibitors and visitors to interact and gain insight into the latest trends in the packaging technology. Mr Ishmael Ashitey, Minister of Trade, Industry and President's Special Initiatives, who launched the exhibition, said the role packaging played in trade made the holding of a specialised fair on packaging a step in the right direction.

He noted that packaging was an effective tool for the preservation; marketing and distribution of food, agriculture produce and manufactured goods.

Mr Ashitey noted that most often, top business executives attended such international exhibitions and said he was glad that this one was making it possible for both small and medium entrepreneurs to come together under one roof.

He advised stakeholders in the industry to identify appropriate, cost effective and good quality packaging to enhance made in Ghana Goods and urged the organisers to set up a multi-sectoral team to plan the event.

Mr Ashitey pledged the Ministry's support to see to the success of the event and asked industrial, commercial and financial institutions to consider packaging as one of the key factors for industrial and economic growth and sponsor the various activities that would be associated with the fair.