Government Eyes $640m Revenue Amid Plans to Double Shea Output
Government is seeking to more than quintuple revenues from its Shea industry, unveiling an ambitious plan to double nut recovery rates from 40 per cent to 80 per cent annually in a move officials say could generate $640mn a year.
The West African country, one of the world’s largest producers of Shea, currently earns about $118mn annually from the sector. But President John Dramani Mahama’s administration is betting on new investments in processing capacity and pricing reforms to transform the commodity into a strategic export earner.
Announcing the initiative at the World Shea Expo in Tamale, Deputy Chief of Staff Nana Oye Bampoe Addo said the government was courting development partners and financial institutions to back technology upgrades, research and innovation across the value chain.
“This Expo is historic as it comes at a time when the world is eager to partner with Ghana in value addition and innovation using our natural resources,” she said, linking the effort to the government’s flagship “24-hour economy” policy.
Measures outlined include revamping the Buipe Shea Processing Factory in the Savannah Region and distributing 20,000 sets of protective equipment to women engaged in nut collection. Plans are also under way to introduce a pricing regime akin to the cocoa sector to stabilise incomes for farmers and improve traceability.
However, industry growth faces sustainability challenges, with officials warning that the widespread felling of Shea trees for charcoal production remains a significant threat. Ms Bampoe Addo urged traditional authorities to help stem the practice.
The second edition of the World Shea Expo, which runs until September 4, has drawn more than 8,000 participants from across Africa. Investors, policymakers and industry leaders are using the event to explore ways of scaling up Shea production and expanding opportunities for women- and youth-led businesses.
