"Ghana\u2019s costly wait for its post-Brexit trade deal with UK"

" \n The first consignment of Ghanaian shipments to the U.K. to face post-Brexit tariffs docked at Portsmouth last night, including 185 metric tons of bananas, the majority of which were so-called Fairtrade. \n \n\n \n Because Britain and the European Union reached a trade deal so close to the divorce transition deadline of Dec. 31, some other \u201ccontinuity\u201d deals \u2014 those intended to roll over the terms of trade the U.K. enjoyed as a member of the EU \u2014 still\u00a0hang in the balance. Agreements with Albania, Algeria and Serbia\u00a0are also outstanding. \n \n\n \n While they wait, their exports face Britain's Generalised Scheme of Preferences, which applies import duties at reduced rates on developing countries. \n \n\n \n Last night\u2019s tariff amounted to more than \u00a317,500 ($24,000), no meager sum for Golden Exotics, the banana producer in Accra behind the shipment. The company is the only source of work in a 30-mile radius for the 3,000 people it employs. \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \n The U.K. Department for International Trade pointed only to its New Year\u2019s Eve\u00a0statement\u00a0that the two sides had \u201creached a consensus on the main elements\u201d of a deal, and that the text would be finalized in weeks. \n \n\n \n However, George Kporye, Golden Exotics\u2019 administration manager, added that the tariffs should be waived in the interim and the deal concluded in days, rather than weeks. \u201cWe had to reduce the volumes because of the uncertainties of reaching a deal on time,\u201d he said. \n \n\n \n Official data show Britain\u2019s exports to Ghana were worth \u00a3722 million\u00a0in 2019, with\u00a0imports\u00a0\u2014\u00a0primarily oil, fish, cocoa and fruit \u2014\u00a0totaling \u00a3498 million. \n \n\n \n Ian Mitchell, senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, said that while London managed to roll over most of its\u00a0trade deals, ministers \u201cunderestimated the complexities in Ghana.\u201d \n \n\n \n Gareth Thomas, a member of the U.K. parliament and shadow international trade minister, said saving jobs at the low-margin businesses such as Kporye\u2019s that export to Britain should be a\u00a0priority, adding: \u201cIt beggars belief that they left sorting out a deal with a key Commonwealth ally so late.\u201d \n "

"Ghana\u2019s costly wait for its post-Brexit trade deal with UK"

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