The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana says the country’s improving macroeconomic indicators are yet to deliver meaningful benefits to farmers and businesses across the agricultural value chain, warning that economic stability alone will not transform the sector without targeted interventions.
The Chamber’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Anthony Morrison, made the observation while reacting to the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review presented by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Although he welcomed the government’s decision to abolish the 20% excise duty on locally manufactured fruit juice, describing it as a major boost for local fruit processing, exports and job creation, he stressed that much more needs to be done to ensure the broader agricultural sector benefits from the country’s improving economic outlook.
According to Anthony Morrison, key macroeconomic gains such as declining inflation, lower interest rates and improved debt sustainability have not yet translated into better prices for farmers, increased food production or stronger investment across the agricultural value chain.
“We’re talking about 5.3% inflation, a 14%policy rate and a 45% debt-to-GDP ratio. Are these the fundamentals that are building farm-gate prices? No. Are these supporting additional food from the farm gate onto the market? No. Are these enhancing radical interventions within the agriculture sector? No,” he argued.
He maintained that while macroeconomic stability is important, farmers and agribusinesses ultimately judge success by improved productivity, higher incomes, increased investment and easier access to markets.
To bridge the gap between economic stability and agricultural transformation, Anthony Morrison called for a more coordinated national approach to developing the sector.
He urged government to accelerate the decentralisation and implementation of national agricultural projects while adopting what he described as an aggressive National Agro-Industry Development Strategy to guide investments and drive value addition.
According to him, the absence of a clear and unified strategy is creating uncertainty for investors and limiting the private sector’s ability to expand production and processing.
“We have the strongest view that it is time we had one strategy, a National Agro-Industry Development Strategy that is aggressive. The current situation is such that one doesn’t know what kind of strategy we are implementing, and this is not helping investment, the private sector or farmers,” he said.
The Chamber says the removal of the fruit juice excise duty is a step in the right direction, but unlocking the full potential of agriculture will require a broader policy framework that converts macroeconomic gains into tangible improvements in productivity, competitiveness and livelihoods across Ghana’s agricultural value chain.
