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Mahama Govt to Ban Raw Shea Nut Exports by 2026 – Otokunor

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The Director of Presidential Initiatives on Agriculture and Agribusiness, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, has announced a bold policy shift under the Mahama-led administration that will see a phased ban on the export of raw shea nuts by 2026.

Dr. Otokunor emphasized the need for structural reforms in the sector during the official press launch of the 2025 World Shea Expo.

“The Mahama-led administration is taking bold policy steps to correct structural imbalances in the sector.

By 2026, the government will implement a phased ban on the export of raw shea nuts. Ghana must move from being a raw material exporter to a nation of value-added exports,” he declared.

He noted that the upcoming ban will pave the way for growth in local processing and job creation.

“This ban will allow local processors to expand, build capacity and build export-ready brands that capture higher earnings in the international market,” he said.

Dr. Otokunor also raised environmental concerns related to shea nut exploitation, highlighting the importance of preserving the shea tree as a national asset.

“The shea tree, which takes about twenty years to mature, is not a renewable firewood source. They are a strategic national resource,” he cautioned.

As part of the new value-chain focus, Otokunor revealed that a major shea factory in northern Ghana, once a critical industrial hub, is undergoing a revival.

“Once a key industrial asset for northern Ghana, the factory was neglected for years. Today, rehabilitation efforts are underway to revamp its operations,” he said.

The refurbished facility is expected to significantly boost processing capacity.

“When fully operational, it will have the capacity to process over 60 metric tonnes of shea nuts annually and can peak at 180,000 metric tonnes under a 24-hour operation,” he added.

Dr. Otokunor projected that the initiative could generate “300 to 1,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs,” potentially creating a ripple effect across the five northern regions through cooperatives and community networks.

Source: Liberalprint.com

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