Shea butter industry losing millions of raw shea nut through export – Shea Butter Employers Association

Rabiatu Abubakari, President of the Ghana Shea Butter Employers Association, has revealed that Ghana is losing millions of cedis due to the export of raw shea nuts rather than processing them locally. She is advocating for stronger government support to bolster the local shea butter industry and generate more economic opportunities for farmers and processors.

The shea butter sector is confronting significant hurdles, including limited access to capital, insufficient storage facilities, and the exportation of raw shea nuts. President Abubakari highlighted that this situation is depriving Ghana of valuable revenue and jobs. She explained that her producers often struggle to obtain loans for business expansion, and when they do receive loans, the interest rates are prohibitively high.

Approximately 70 percent of the country's shea nuts are being exported, leaving local processors with insufficient supplies. This, in turn, hampers local processing and the income of farmers. Rabiatu Abubakari is urging the government to leverage the 24-hour economy initiative to foster local processing and curb the exportation of raw shea nuts.

She believes that such a strategy would bolster the shea butter industry. Additionally, she calls for investments in storage facilities, considering that shea is a seasonal crop. The Shea Butter Employers Association has already received support from the Tree Crops Development Authority, including farm inputs, but more needs to be done, according to Rabiatu Abubakari.

Consequently, she is soliciting increased government investment in financing, storage, and local processing, aiming to make the shea industry more sustainable and ensure that more value remains within Ghana.