Ghana loses out $2.5 billion yearly from raw exports — Trade Minister

THE Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has disclosed that the country is losing out on an estimated of $2.5 billion annually for exporting agricultural commodities in their raw state.

She was, however, of the view that the country must urgently shift towards value addition to unlock growth and development.

Addressing the gathering on the second day of the Kwahu Business Forum 2026 held at the Kwahu Convention Centre in the Kwahu South Municipality in the Eastern Region last Saturday, April 4, the Minister indicated that the persistent export of raw produce continued to deprive the economy of significant revenue and job opportunities.

The event, with the theme: "The Future of Business: Scaling up Local Enterprise", brought together captains of industry, financial institutions, investors, entrepreneurs, exporters, policy leaders and policymakers, among others.

Agribusiness policy 

She, however, announced that Ghana’s long-awaited national agribusiness policy had reached an advanced stage, having been finalised and submitted for public consideration after months of stakeholder consultations that began in July 2025. 

The Trade Minister further explained that the policy was expected to proceed to Cabinet for approval, in line with earlier indications by President John Dramani Mahama.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare told the gathering that the policy was designed to reverse the long-standing structure of the economy, where primary agricultural products had been exported with little or no processing, leaving much of their value unrealised.

Agroprocessing 

According to the Trade Minister, the policy outlined measures to retain more value within the country by promoting agro-processing and strengthening linkages across the agricultural value chain.

The ministry, she indicated, had also developed complementary industrial policies targeting key sectors, including textiles and garments, pharmaceuticals and automobile components.

That, Mrs Adjare said, was to provide clearer regulatory direction, incentives and standards for investors and that such policies were expected to be submitted to Cabinet in the coming months.

AfCFTA 

Touching on trade opportunities, the Trade Minister further told the gathering that Ghana’s position as the host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat placed a responsibility on the country to lead by example in driving intra-African trade.

She said Ghana must set the pace by showcasing how intra-African trade could help drive economic transformation.

“Underpinning all of this is our African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. Ghana carries a particular responsibility to demonstrate what intra-African trade can deliver in practice,” she said.

Local enterprises 

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare indicated that government efforts were focused on equipping local enterprises with the tools needed to compete effectively within the continental market, including access to trade information and certification systems.

“We are working to ensure that Ghanaian enterprises, as well as businesses, have access to rules of origin certification, tariff intelligence, and market linkages necessary to compete and win in the continental market,” the Trade Minister added.

Economic zones 

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare linked the strategy to broader plans to reposition special economic zones as active industrial ecosystems, with emphasis on agro-processing and light manufacturing to enhance export competitiveness within Africa.

The minister emphasised that the success of AfCFTA implementation would depend largely on the readiness of the private sector to respond to emerging opportunities.