The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has begun discussions with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Agribusiness to establish small-scale cocoa processing plants in cocoa-growing areas as part of efforts to increase local value addition and strengthen Ghana’s industrial base.
The initiative aims to enable cocoa beans to be refined locally before export, allowing Ghana to retain more value within the supply chain and reduce its reliance on raw bean exports.
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Drive to Expand Value Addition
Speaking at the association’s National Council Retreat, AGI leadership stressed the urgency of expanding domestic cocoa processing capacity to maximise economic benefits from one of Ghana’s most important export commodities.
“We are engaging the Trade Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, to establish cocoa processing plants to refine our beans before exporting,” the association said.
According to AGI, processing cocoa into semi-finished and finished products such as cocoa liquor, butter and powder would significantly increase export earnings compared to shipping raw beans.
Job Creation and Industrial Growth
The association noted that locating processing facilities in cocoa-growing communities would create employment opportunities, stimulate local economic development and help reduce rural-urban migration.
It added that expanding processing capacity would also strengthen Ghana’s industrialisation drive by supporting manufacturing and creating linkages with other sectors such as packaging, logistics and export services.
AGI emphasised that greater value addition would enhance Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings, improve trade balances and position the country more competitively in the global cocoa value chain.
Collaboration with Government Key
The association said close collaboration with the Trade Ministry would be critical in creating the right policy environment, including incentives and infrastructure, to attract private investment into cocoa processing.
AGI believes that expanding local processing is essential to transforming Ghana from a primary commodity exporter into a value-added industrial economy, while ensuring that more of the economic benefits of cocoa production are retained within the country.
