Ghana’s agriculture sector risks underperforming unless policymakers address high financing costs, rising utility tariffs and weak research support, according to Dr Felix Mawuli Kamassah, chief executive officer of Maphlix Trust Ghana Limited.
Speaking to the third cohort of the PK Amoabeng Scholars during a visit to the company’s farm at Dawhenya, Dr. Kamassah said agribusinesses in Ghana face structural constraints that make it difficult to compete globally despite the country’s natural advantages.
“Agribusiness is a long-term investment,” he said. “The problem is that you can’t get patient funding for agriculture.”
Maphlix Trust Ghana operates across farming, aggregation, processing and exports, and works with about 4,000 smallholder farmers nationwide. The company provides tractor services and inputs to farmers before purchasing produce for processing and export, particularly sweet potatoes.
Dr Kamassah said borrowing costs in Ghana remain significantly higher than in competing agricultural economies such as Brazil, where agribusiness financing can attract rates around 5%. In Ghana, he said, companies often pay between 13% and 14%, even after recent reductions in benchmark lending rates.
The financing gap, coupled with rising electricity tariffs, is increasing pressure on processors and exporters, according to Dr Kamassah. He warned that higher utility costs directly affect production and export competitiveness.
“Ghanaian agribusiness people are magic people,” he said, describing the sector’s ability to survive despite persistent cost pressures.
Dr Kamassah argued that Ghana possesses geographic and climatic advantages that remain underutilized. The country can produce crops throughout the year because of access to water resources and is located within relatively short shipping distances to European markets.
“Within five hours by air, you are in Europe,” he said, adding that some sea shipments reach Europe within two weeks. “But Ghana is not getting the volume support.”
He also called for a shift in government policy toward supporting established agribusiness operators capable of organizing smallholder farmers into scalable production systems. According to him, agricultural investment should move beyond politically connected or informal financing structures and focus on commercially viable operators.
Dr Kamassah noted climate change is reshaping tomato production patterns in West Africa, giving Burkina Faso an advantage because of cooler nighttime temperatures that help sustain tomato flowering. He said Ghana could offset supply shortages through greenhouse cultivation and expanded production in the northern regions.
The executive urged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to deepen collaboration between researchers and commercial farmers to develop drought-resistant crop varieties and respond faster to pests and climate risks.
“When you travel to South Africa or the Netherlands, researchers are constantly on the field,” he said. “But in Ghana, researchers distance themselves from agribusiness.”
He further highlighted Ghana’s dependence on imported onions, estimating that the country spends more than $800 million importing onions from Niger alone. He encouraged young farmers to enter onion production, describing it as a strong commercial opportunity.
According to him, consumer preference for imported produce remains another challenge for local producers, with imported onions often commanding better prices than locally grown alternatives.
Dr Kamassah pointed to Ghana’s position as the world’s second-largest exporter of shallots, arguing that the subsector receives little policy attention despite its export potential. He called for increased investment in seed research and expanded cultivation beyond traditional growing areas to strengthen food security, reduce agricultural imports and expand non-traditional exports as part of broader efforts to stabilize the economy and diversify foreign exchange earnings.
