Ghana moves from raw exports to processing in tree crops – Agric Minister
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has announced a major policy shift to end Ghana’s long-standing dependence on exporting raw tree crop commodities, declaring that government is prioritising large-scale processing and value addition across the sector.
Speaking at the opening of the Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition 2026 in Accra, the Minister said the country will no longer be content with exporting raw cashew, shea nuts, rubber and other tree crop produce without industrial processing.
“Our commitment to value addition is unwavering. Ghana will not remain content with exporting raw cashew, raw shea nuts or unprocessed rubber,” Hon. Opoku stated. “We are deliberately encouraging investment in processing facilities, agro-industrial parks, downstream manufacturing and export-ready products.”
He said the new direction forms part of government’s broader strategy to reposition the tree crops sector as a structured, regulated and investment-ready driver of economic growth under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.
Structured Reforms Underway
The Minister acknowledged that although production in the sector has grown over the years, expansion has largely been fragmented and driven by private initiative with limited coordination.
“For many years, Ghana’s tree crop sector expanded largely through private initiative and individual effort. Production increased, but coordination was limited. Regulation was weak, and value addition did not match potential,” he said.
According to him, government’s objective is to move “from fragmented production to organized value chains; from raw export to industrial processing; and from untapped potential to measurable prosperity.”
Through the Tree Crops Development Authority, the Ministry is strengthening regulatory oversight, improving data systems and compliance mechanisms, and creating a predictable operating environment for investors and exporters.
“Regulation is not an obstacle to growth — it is the foundation of sustainability and investor confidence,” Hon. Opoku emphasized.
Boosting Productivity and Investor Confidence
To support processing ambitions, the Ministry is distributing certified early-yielding seedlings, enhancing extension services tailored to tree crop agronomy and establishing farmer training hubs across major production belts.
Hon. Opoku said nucleus-outgrower arrangements are also being promoted to guarantee steady raw material supply to processors, while traceability systems are being strengthened to meet international market standards.
He noted that the shift toward processing is expected to create jobs, increase rural incomes and boost foreign exchange earnings.
“Policy must translate into impact,” he said, stressing that farmers remain central to the transformation agenda.
Opportunities for Investors
The Minister used the summit to court both local and international investors, describing Ghana as offering “structured opportunity” with suitable agro-ecological zones, political stability and improving regulatory clarity.
Opportunities, he said, exist in plantation development, processing and refining, industrial rubber applications, coconut derivatives, shea-based cosmetics, palm oil integration and agribusiness services.
“This summit has been designed not merely as a platform for speeches, but as a marketplace for partnerships,” he noted, expressing optimism that the event would generate concrete investment commitments and bankable collaborations.
Hon. Opoku reiterated government’s readiness to facilitate and remove bottlenecks in the sector.
“The Ministry of Food and Agriculture stands ready to coordinate and ensure measurable delivery in seedling distribution, processing capacity expansion, compliance enforcement and farmer income improvement,” he said.
The Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition 2026 is expected to deepen partnerships and accelerate the industrial transformation of the country’s tree crops sector.
