The Rubber Farmers Association of Ghana (RUFAG) has rejected recent calls for a complete ban on raw rubber exports, describing them as false, misleading, and harmful to farmers’ livelihoods.
The calls for an export ban were recently made by Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) and the Rubber Processors Association of Ghana (RUPAG), citing concerns that unchecked exports undermine local processing capacity and threaten the country’s industrialisation and job creation efforts.
Addressing the media in Accra, RUFAG executive member Michael Nyarku said the allegations were “grossly distorted and baseless,” and did not reflect the realities of Ghana’s rubber sector.
He stressed that the export market plays a critical role in sustaining incomes for over two million dependents across the country.
“Rubber farmers, carriers, loaders, and tricycle operators all rely on the security of trade in both local and export markets,” Mr. Nyarku said. “Competition, not protectionism, drives efficiency, fair pricing, and sustainable growth in the rubber industry.”
He added that the export market generates about US$100 million annually, providing vital support to rural communities and safeguarding jobs for more than 1,000 workers in processing companies.
According to RUFAG, the sector comprises roughly 300,000 rubber tappers, 200,000 carriers and loaders, and 150,000 tricycle operators.
Mr. Nyarku explained that claims linking raw rubber exports to price suppression and industrial disruption were misleading.
He said the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA) requires all exporters of unprocessed rubber, cashew, and shea to be registered and licensed, and permits must be obtained before export.
“The TCDA has established a permanent presence at the ports to monitor compliance with regulations and prevent unnecessary hardship for farmers,” he said.
RUFAG warned that any policy leading to monopolisation of the market would destroy jobs, deepen rural poverty, and push farmers to abandon their farms, noting that recent disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic had already caused challenges for local processors.
The association urged policymakers to pursue inclusive, farmer-centred industrialisation policies that strengthen the entire rubber value chain rather than undermine it.
