The Chief Government Officer of the Tree Crops Improvement Authority, Dr. Andy Osei Okrah, has known as for pressing funding and stronger partnerships to unlock the massive financial potential of Ghana’s cashew and apple trade, positioning worth addition as the subsequent key frontier for development within the nation’s cashew and apple sector.
Addressing individuals on the Regional Cashew Apple Evaluation Convention and Exhibition in Accra, the CEO of TCDA mentioned Ghana can not afford to permit hundreds of thousands of tonnes of cashew apples to go to waste whereas farmers, processors and the financial system at giant lose priceless revenue and industrial alternatives.
“Ghana has made nice strides in cashew manufacturing, with greater than 250,000 tonnes of uncooked cashew nuts produced yearly. Nevertheless, this success is accompanied by a critical contradiction: an estimated 2 million tonnes of cashew apples are produced every year, but the overwhelming majority is wasted,” he mentioned.
“This implies not solely the lack of uncooked supplies, but additionally the lack of revenue, jobs and industrial alternatives for farmers and processors.”
flip waste into wealth
The TCDA CEO emphasised that cashew apples, which make up almost 90% of the fruit, have sturdy industrial potential and will be processed into juice, wine, jam, ethanol, animal feed, industrial uncooked supplies, and so on.
“The chance earlier than us is evident: to rework Ghana’s cashew nut trade from one closely depending on uncooked nut exports to a diversified, high-value-added agro-industrial sector.”
He mentioned such transformations would improve farmers’ incomes, create sustainable jobs for youth and ladies, promote rural industrialization, enhance meals safety and strengthen Ghana’s competitiveness in regional and international markets.
Private strategy to this area
The CEO revealed that shortly after he took workplace in February 2025, he and Bono visited the Bono East cashew belt and witnessed giant portions of cashew apples rotting on the farm.
“My greatest concern throughout that go to was that there have been giant quantities of cashew apples being discarded in farmers’ fields, and lots of farmers had little or no thought easy methods to use them.”
“That have left a robust impression on me, and since then, mobilizing and committing the required sources to fulfill this problem has grow to be considered one of my high priorities.”
He mentioned the Accra convention was a serious step in the direction of mobilizing funding and sensible options on this space.
TCDA coverage framework
The authorities additionally launched a draft coverage framework for cashew apple utilization in Ghana aimed toward guiding the structured growth of the sub-sector and supporting industrial scale-up.
“This framework is designed to information the systematic growth of the cashew apple subsector and guarantee a transition from fragmentation to coordination and from waste to wealth.”
Based on the CEO, the assembly is predicted to determine concrete funding alternatives, appeal to personal capital, strengthen partnerships and advance the commercialization path.
Search partnerships
The TCDA CEO urged stakeholders to maneuver past dialogue and give attention to implementation.
“Governments cannot do it alone. Improvement companions cannot do it alone. The personal sector cannot do it alone. It takes sturdy partnerships, concerted funding and shared dedication.”
“Collectively, we are able to place Ghana as a frontrunner in cashew apple worth development in Africa.”
authorities assist
Deputy Minister Sampson Ahi, on behalf of Commerce Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, supported the initiative, saying cashew nuts ought to be handled as industrial uncooked materials slightly than farm waste.
The convention was organized by the Worldwide Institute for German Research (GIZ) with assist from TCDA and co-funding from the European Union.
