Deputy Trade Minister calls for industrial utilisation of cashew apple to drive agro-processing growth

The Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Mr Sampson Ahi, has called on industry players, investors and development partners to treat the cashew apple as a viable industrial raw material rather than agricultural waste.

This, he said, is in line with the government’s drive to deepen value addition and expand Ghana’s agro-processing sector.

He made the call at the opening of the Regional Cashew Apple Valorisation Conference and Exhibition, held on Thursday in Accra and delivered the address on behalf of the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare.

The Deputy Minister noted that although Ghana’s cashew sector has grown steadily and has become a significant contributor to the country’s non-traditional exports, a major opportunity remains unrealised in the utilisation of the cashew apple.

“The cashew apple should no longer be seen as waste. It should be treated as raw material for industry,” he said.

He outlined the cashew apple’s considerable potential as a primary input for a range of products, including fruit juice, concentrates, animal feed, cosmetics and other industrial goods.

Mr Ahi emphasised that the Ministry’s current focus extends beyond production volumes, hence priority has been placed on how agricultural outputs are processed, packaged and connected to both domestic and international markets.

He noted that weak linkages between agriculture, industry and trade have historically limited Ghana’s capacity to capture the full economic value of its crops.

The Deputy Minister further disclosed that Ghana currently processes only a small proportion of its raw cashew output locally, with the bulk exported in unprocessed form, which results in the loss of significant economic value that could otherwise be retained through domestic processing and manufacturing.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening agro-industrial linkages through key policy initiatives, including the Feed the Industry Programme, designed to ensure a reliable supply of raw materials for processors while guaranteeing markets for farmers.

Other speakers at the event, including a representative of the Minister for Food and Agriculture, the Chief Executive Officer of TDA and representatives of the European Union Delegation to Ghana, stressed the importance of stronger collaboration across the cashew value chain.