President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled plans to stop Ghana’s long-standing practice of exporting raw tree crops, signalling a major policy shift aimed at boosting local industry and job creation.
Speaking at the Ghana Tree Crop Investment Summit in Accra on Tuesday, February 17, the President said his administration intends to ensure that most of Ghana’s cashew, shea and rubber are processed locally before export. The target, he explained, is to achieve between 50 and 60 per cent local processing annually.
“For too long, we have exported raw cashew, raw shea and unprocessed rubber, only to import the same products back at much higher prices,” President Mahama said. “I want to travel and see Ghanaian cashew products on shelves abroad, not those processed elsewhere from our own raw materials.”
To support this transition, the President outlined plans to expand agro-industrial parks across the country, provide incentives for private-sector processors, and strengthen oversight within the tree crop sector through the Tree Crops Development Authority. These measures, he noted, are designed to encourage investment, improve quality control and ensure sustainable growth.
President Mahama also reiterated government’s commitment to oil palm development under the National Policy on Integrated Oil Palm Development, describing oil palm as “red gold” because of its economic potential. According to him, the government plans to invest about $500 million to develop 100,000 hectares of oil palm plantations nationwide, a move expected to generate approximately 250,000 direct jobs.
He stressed that the policy direction forms part of a broader industrialisation agenda focused on adding value to agricultural produce, reducing dependency on imports, and creating employment—particularly for young people in rural and farming communities.
“Our goal is clear,” President Mahama said. “We must process what we grow, create jobs at home, and ensure that Ghana earns more from its natural and agricultural resources.”
Source: Africa Publicity
