President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to significantly increase the local processing of Ghana’s major tree crops, declaring that the country will shift away from exporting raw agricultural produce while importing finished products at higher prices.
Speaking at the Ghana Tree Crop Investment Summit in Accra on Tuesday, February 17, the President stated that his administration is targeting an annual domestic processing rate of between 50 and 60 percent for crops such as cashew, shea, and rubber.
“I want to travel and be able to buy cashews and see the produce of Ghana, not the produce of India or some third-party country. We will no longer export raw cashew, raw shea or unprocessed rubber while importing the same finished products at higher prices,” he said.
He outlined measures including the expansion of agro-industrial parks, incentives for private processors and stronger regulatory supervision through the Tree Crops Development Authority to promote value addition in the sector.
The President also reaffirmed government’s commitment under the National Policy on Integrated Oil Palm Development, describing oil palm as “red gold.”
Under the programme, government plans to invest 500 million dollars to develop 100,000 hectares of oil palm plantations and create about 250,000 direct jobs.
“Our target is clear 50 to 60 percent local processing annually, expansion of agro-industrial parks, incentives for private sector processors and stronger regulatory oversight through the Tree Crops Development Authority,” he said.
President Mahama noted that the initiative forms part of broader efforts to industrialise agriculture, deepen value addition and expand employment opportunities nationwide.
