Ghanaian exporters have been urged to take full advantage of the renewed African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) window as new U.S. trade barriers begin to reshape global market access.
The call comes from the President of the Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), Mr. Davies Narh Korboe, who, in an interview with The High Street Journal, emphasized the need for urgency following the implementation of a 10% U.S. tariff on certain imports.
While the tariff introduces fresh trade pressures, the renewal of AGOA provides what industry leaders describe as a critical opportunity for Ghanaian exporters to consolidate and expand their presence in the United States market.
“Our exporters are going to have a future to also export,” the FAGE president said. “We have to take advantage of this window to maximize our export to the United States.”
The 10% tariff, which took effect today, forms part of the United States’ broader trade enforcement measures. Although it affects a range of imported goods, AGOA continues to offer duty-free access to thousands of eligible products from qualifying African countries.
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For Ghana, AGOA covers a broad basket of exports including cocoa beans and processed cocoa products, shea butter, cashew nuts, fresh and dried fruits such as pineapples and mangoes, vegetables, textiles, apparel, and selected manufactured goods. These exports represent a significant portion of Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings and support thousands of jobs across agricultural and industrial value chains.
The FAGE president noted that without AGOA’s renewal, the combination of the tariff and the loss of preferential access would have placed exporters under severe strain.
“The tariff is there, and AGOA is another window,” he explained. “As it stands now, I think that, for me, it’s going to give us a bit of relief.”
However, industry players acknowledge that AGOA’s renewal should not breed complacency. The preferential access provides a competitive edge, but exporters must meet strict U.S. standards on quality, packaging, certification, and traceability to fully benefit from the arrangement.
The renewed trade window comes at a time when global supply chains remain sensitive to geopolitical tensions and shifting trade policies. For Ghana, maximizing AGOA benefits could help stabilize export revenues, deepen value addition in agro-processing, and expand light manufacturing exports to the U.S.
