Ghana targets 50% domestic cocoa processing
Government aims to retain more value from cocoa exports after global prices fell from US$10,000 to US$4,000 per tonne.
Ghana aims to process at least 50% of its annual cocoa production domestically, according to Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare. This strategy seeks to increase agricultural value addition and reduce dependence on raw commodity exports. The move follows a sharp decline in global cocoa prices from approximately US$10,000 per tonne in early 2025 to about US$4,000 by early 2026.
Ofosu-Adjare stated that the price collapse exposed the vulnerability of economies exporting raw commodities. Ghana will utilize its installed cocoa grinding capacity, which exceeds 500,000 metric tonnes, to achieve its processing goals. Non-traditional exports, driven by processed cocoa products, reached a record US$5 billion in 2025, a 30.7% increase from the previous year.
The government plans to extend local processing to other commodities like cashew, fruits, and vegetables. European investors are encouraged to form joint ventures and establish processing facilities in Ghana. This initiative comes as Ghana's cocoa sector faces production challenges due to unfavourable weather, with COCOBOD expecting a 16% decline in the 2025/26 season.
Why it mattersGhanaian farmers and the wider agricultural sector will be affected by the government's push for increased domestic processing of cocoa and other commodities.