An export order succeeds or fails on its paperwork. The goods can be perfect and still sit in port if a certificate is missing. This guide lists the documents a cassava export from Ghana usually carries. It is a starting point: the exact list depends on the product and on your country's rules, and it should be confirmed with your customs broker or authority before the first shipment.
The usual document set
| Document | What it does | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Product, quantity, price, currency and the agreed Incoterms rule. | The exporter |
| Packing list | Bags, weights and lot numbers in each container. | The exporter |
| Phytosanitary certificate | Confirms plant health for plant products. | PPRSD, Ghana's Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate |
| Certificate of origin | Confirms the goods are a product of Ghana. Can matter for preferential duty. | An authorised Ghanaian body |
| Certificate of analysis | Laboratory results for the lot against the agreed specification. | A testing laboratory |
| Bill of lading | The shipping line's receipt for the goods and the document of title. | The shipping line |
In Ghana the export declaration is filed through the national customs system (ICUMS). Food products may also need registration and export permits from Ghana's Food and Drugs Authority, depending on the product and how it is packed.
Questions to settle with your own authorities
- Does your country need an import permit or prior registration for this product?
- What limit does your market set for residual cyanide, and in what form must the result be shown?
- Which tariff line will your customs broker use, and does a trade agreement reduce the duty?
- What must the label say, in which language?
Ghana has duty-free, quota-free access to the UK under the Ghana–UK Trade Partnership Agreement and to the EU under the interim Economic Partnership Agreement, subject to the rules of origin. Your broker will confirm how that applies to your goods.
How we handle it
We confirm the document list with you before production, prepare the commercial and product documents, and Williot Logistics handles freight, port and export customs formalities. The full set is sent ahead of the goods, so you can clear them on arrival.