The Affiliation of Cashew Processors of Ghana (ACPG) has known as for elevated assist for native cashew processing, stressing that rising home worth addition is crucial to creating jobs, rising export earnings and maximizing the financial advantages of Ghana’s rising cashew trade.
Over the previous twenty years, Ghana has constructed one of many strongest cashew industries in Africa, with greater than 300,000 farmers instantly engaged in rising cashews, and tons of of hundreds of others making a residing from buying and selling, transportation and processing actions alongside the worth chain, stated Antonio Manuel Caramelo Raposo, president of the affiliation.
Regardless of producing round 200,000 tonnes of uncooked cashew nuts yearly and sustaining its place as certainly one of West Africa’s main cashew producing international locations, Raposo identified that solely a small portion of the crop is processed regionally.
He defined that this case is limiting the power to reap the complete financial worth of the commodity, as vital alternatives for worth addition by means of the export of uncooked nuts proceed to be misplaced.
“Ghana is already investing in growing processing capability, expert labor and export experience with assist from companions akin to GIZ, the World Financial institution and NAIRAS. Nonetheless, attributable to restricted entry to uncooked supplies, a lot of the prevailing processing infrastructure stays underutilized,” he stated.
Mr. Raposo steered that unlocking the nation’s processing potential might create hundreds of further jobs whereas rising export revenues by means of the manufacturing and export of higher-value cashew merchandise.
ACPG additional cited estimates from the Tree Crops Improvement Authority (TCDA) that recommend Ghana’s cashew sector has the potential to generate greater than US$660 million yearly by means of elevated regulation, elevated processing and worth addition.
The affiliation additionally pointed to proof from different African international locations the place native processing has confirmed to generate much more jobs and financial exercise than uncooked nut exports.
Analysis supported by worldwide growth companies exhibits that processing cashew nuts inside producing international locations creates substantial employment alternatives and stimulates broader financial development. Throughout Africa, processing manufacturing totally regionally is estimated to assist tons of of hundreds of direct jobs.
In response to the affiliation, Ghana stays well-positioned not solely to stay a serious producer of uncooked cashew nuts, but additionally as a regional hub for cashew processing, meals manufacturing and agro-industrialization.
ACPG stated such transformations would strengthen rural economies, create sustainable employment alternatives, particularly for girls and youth, and enhance the proportion of export worth stored domestically.
The affiliation confused that this dialogue shouldn’t be seen as an try to limit commerce, however relatively as a method to strike the precise stability between exports and home worth addition.
“By encouraging native processing together with aggressive and clear markets, Ghana can maximize the advantages of the cashew nut trade for farmers, companies, communities and future generations,” Raposo stated.
ACPG subsequently calls on policymakers and stakeholders to assist native processors and take steps to make sure the nation reaps higher financial advantages from the cashew sector.
