By Edward Adjei FRIMPONG

President John Dramani Mahama has stated that his government will ban exports of raw cashew nuts, rubber and shea as part of a strategy to promote domestic processing, boost foreign exchange earnings and create jobs.

Speaking at the inaugural Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition 2026 in Accra, held under the theme ‘Sustainable growth through tree crops investments: Resetting and building Ghana’s green economy’, President Mahama said the country can no longer afford to export raw commodities only to import finished products at higher prices.

“Ghana will no longer export raw cashew, shea and rubber only to import finished products at higher prices. Value addition must occur at home to create jobs and strengthen economic resilience,” he said, inviting investment partners to help build local processing capacity.

He said government is targetting averagely 50–60 percent local processing annually, alongside the expansion of agri-industry parks, incentives for private sector processors and stronger regulatory oversight through the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA).

Ghana produces an average of about 250,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts, 145,000 tonnes of rubber and 130,000 tonnes of shea each year, exporting roughly 95 percent, 95 percent and 90 percent respectively in raw form, according to government figures.

President Mahama said the recent cocoa production challenges and global price instability underscores the need for deliberate diversification policies to expand export revenue streams and employment opportunities.

“Ghana must move from dependence to diversification. Climate shocks, global price volatility and environmental stress demand that we broaden our agricultural base. Economic resilience requires reducing our reliance on cocoa exports. This is why tree crops are central to our agricultural transformation agenda,” he said.

“Beyond cocoa, government has identified six priority crops – cashew, oil palm, rubber, coconut, mango and shea – as the backbone of its diversification strategy. Together, the crops employ more than 1.6 million people, support rural economies, promote gender inclusivity and contribute about 4% of agricultural gross domestic product,” he added.

President Mahama stressed that government is committed to building an integrated system in which production, processing, logistics and export operate continuously to maximise productivity and job creation, positioning tree crops within its proposed 24-hour economy framework.

Under the plan, Ghana aims to increase cashew production from 250,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes, oil palm from 265,000 tonnes to 1.1 million tonnes, rubber from 145,000 tonnes to 400,000 tonnes, mango from 150,000 tonnes to 450,000 tonnes and coconut from 504,000 tonnes to one million tonnes. The targets are projected to generate more than 500,000 new jobs and up to US$12billion in annual foreign exchange earnings.

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, on his part said the ministry is ready to facilitate and coordinate efforts to unlock the full potential of the country’s six priority tree crops, indicating that the ministry will work to remove bottlenecks across the value chain in support of expansion and attracting investment.

“We are committed to distributing improved seedlings, expanding processing capacity, strengthening compliance enforcement and improving farmers’ incomes and livelihoods,” he said.

Mr. Opoku said translating policy into measurable impact will require stronger collaboration between government and private sector actors. He therefore called on investors to explore opportunities in Ghana with confidence and a long-term perspective, urging them to support local value addition and processing.

The minister also encouraged farmers and cooperatives to adopt improved agronomic practices and comply with quality standards to enhance productivity and competitiveness. He further appealed for trade associations within the tree crops value chain to uphold discipline and professionalism in order to strengthen Ghana’s reputation in global markets.

Chief Executive Officer-TCDA Dr. Andy Osei Okrah said Ghana has the foundational assets needed to succeed in the tree crops sector, including productive land, experienced farmers, expanding processing capacity and access to global markets.

“What we need is disciplined coordination and scaled execution to achieve our goals, hence the summit,” he said. The four-day summit aims to attract investment, raise awareness, promote the sector and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders across the value chain.

Link:https://thebftonline.com/2026/02/23/govt-moves-to-ban-raw-cashew-rubber-...