Ghana missing Canton fair opportunity

Smart grab

Organisers of the world’s largest trade fair, the Canton fair, have expressed optimism that more African countries would take advantage of the fair which has so far attracted only four countries from the continent.

By Edmund Smith-Asante, GUANGZHOU

One of the many entrances to the fair complex. PICTURE BY EDMUND SMITH-ASANTE

Every year since 1957 the world’s business community has gathered in Guangzhou in the Guangdong Province of China to exhibit their goods and look for more buyers but no business in Ghana has ever taken part.

At best any Ghanaian individual or business that has been at the Canton or the China Import and Export Fair since it began 60 years ago has been a buyer but not an exhibitor.

So far only four African countries – Egypt, Kenya, Zambia and Uganda have taken part in the annual fair, which is the largest in the world.

Mr. Li Jinqi, Secretary General of the Canton fair (right) addressing the journalists.

These came to light when African journalists in China on a 10-month exchange training programme met with organisers of the 121st edition of the fair, the China Foreign Trade Centre (CFTC) in Guangzhou in the Guangdong Province of China.

The Director of the China Africa Press Centre (CAPC), Mr. Chen Zhe who led the journalists, said it was an opportunity for the fourth group from the centre since its establishment, to conduct interviews to know more about the Canton fair, its history and development and also the Guangdong Province. 

Canton Fair

The fair which attracts an average of 200,000 buyers from about 210 countries each year in transactions worth US$30 billion has the longest history of fairs in China, enjoys the largest sale, has the widest product variety, the largest turnover and is the most comprehensive international trade event.

This year’s exhibition is being held in three phases. The first phase which was scheduled from April 15 to April 19 involved the exhibition of electronic and household items, machinery and vehicle parts, building and lighting equipment among others.

Buyers flood the Canton fair complex. PICTURE BY EDMUND SMITH-ASANTE

The second phase from April 23 to April 27 is for the exhibition of consumer goods, gift items and home decorations, while the third phase scheduled for May 1 to May 5, would be for textiles and garments, shoes, office supplies, bags and recreational products, medicines and health products and food items.

The Secretary-General of the Planning Committee and deputy Director-General of CFTC, Mr. Li Jinqi described the fair as a bridge for world trade and a bond of friendship and said the ultimate aim was to build the fair into a multifunctional platform.

“We will make a better use of international and market resources and try to provide a better negotiating environment and a better experience for customers from home and abroad,” he pledged.

Africa’s potential

An African buyer at the fair, Mr. Benjamin Pango being interviewed.

He said Africa had a great potential for the Chinese market with 13,764 buyers patronising last year’s fair but said exhibitors from the continent were still very limited with an average of only 10 exhibitors participating in the fair since an international pavilion was created during the 101^st edition in 2006.

“China and Africa are developing regions and African countries have huge potentials for the Chinese market. China and Africa also enjoy a long history of mutual friendship. Therefore Canton fair has always been devoted to deepening the economic trade cooperation between China and African countries, making the fair a bond connecting the economic, social and trade development between the two sides,” he said.

He indicated that for this year’s fair Egypt was the African country with the most exhibitors – eight, and also occupied 43 booths out of the 998 provided in the 20,000 m² international pavilion space, exhibiting mainly electronic and household appliances.

For this year’s fair the organisers said 7,420 invitation letters were sent to loyal buyers from the Africa region.

Mr. Li said he hoped in future exhibitors from Africa would increase as a result of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, a plan to ink up countries on the world’s major trade route, while cooperation between China and Africa would be boosted through the fairs.

Exhibitor

An Egyptian exhibitor at the fair, the Export Director of Universal, Mr. Tarek Samir Mohammed told the journalists that the added advantage of exhibiting at the Canton fair was that it attracted customers from all over the world, unlike fairs in Ghana, Nigeria and other African countries in which it had participated that attracted mainly African buyers.

Mr. Tarek Samir Mohammed, an Egyptian exhibitor speaking to some journalists at his stand.

He stated that a trade agreement between Egypt and some African countries made their products cheaper and easier to market on the Africa market, therefore giving them an edge over competing brands from Europe and Asia, although their high quality made them competitive on the world market.

As of the time he spoke with the journalists on the first day of the fair, Mr. Mohammed said 10 buyers had already patronised their cookers and indicated that they were doing good business because of the quality of their products which include water heaters and washing machines.

Writer’s email: edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh

The total exhibition space of the Canton fair is 1.18 million m² which is divided into three spaces.

 This story was written on April 20, 2017