Ghana’s Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, says that Ghana loses an estimated $2.5 billion annually by exporting agricultural commodities in their raw state.
Speaking at the second day of the Kwahu Business Forum 2026 at the Kwahu Convention Centre, the Minister warned that the country should urgently shift towards value addition to unlock growth.
According to her, the persistent export of raw produce continued to deprive the economy of significant revenue and job opportunities.
The Minister 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.
She explained that the policy is now expected to proceed to Cabinet for approval, in line with earlier indications by President John Dramani Mahama.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said that the policy was designed to reverse the long-standing structure of the economy, where primary agricultural products are exported with little or no processing, leaving much of their value unrealised.
“The constraint has been scale and the conditions necessary to achieve it,” she said, pointing to longstanding barriers that have limited the growth of Ghanaian enterprises despite their innovation and potential.
According to her, the policy outlines measures to retain more value within the country by promoting agro-processing and strengthening linkages across the agricultural value chain.
Local media reports quoted the minister as saying that the ministry had developed complementary industrial policies targeting key sectors, including textiles and garments, pharmaceuticals and automobile components, to provide clearer regulatory direction, incentives and standards for investors and that these policies are expected to be submitted to Cabinet in the coming months.
GIK/APA