Ghana targets $640 million shea industry as government pushes plantation development
By: Murtala Issah Ghana is targeting an increase in annual shea nut production from an estimated one hundred and thirty thousand to one hundred and fifty thousand metric tonnes to four hundred metric tonnes, as government steps up efforts to transform the sector into a major driver of economic growth, exports and job creation. The […]
Ghana aims to boost its shea industry by increasing annual shea nut production from an estimated 130,000 to 150,000 metric tonnes to 400,000 metric tonnes. Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director for Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, stated that this increased production could raise Ghana's shea industry value to approximately $640 million.
The World Shea Expo 2026, held in Tamale, showcased Ghana's capacity to capture a larger share of the global shea market, projected to exceed $3 billion by 2030. The Expo highlighted the planting of Ghana's first large-scale hybrid shea plantation demonstration farm at Futa, which is expected to serve as a research, heritage, and potential shea tourism site.
Researchers at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana have developed a hybrid shea variety that matures in about three years, compared to 20-30 years for the wild variety. Government efforts also include reviving the Buipe Shea Processing Factory, which will have the capacity to process over 60,000 metric tonnes of shea nuts annually when fully operational.
The factory could create between 300 and 1,000 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs. The Expo aimed to create business-to-business linkages, investment opportunities, and export partnerships, attracting over 7,000 participants, including women-led cooperatives, youth businesses, processors, exporters, and international buyers.
Government plans to establish and enforce national standards for shea kernels and shea butter to ensure Ghanaian shea products meet the requirements of premium markets in Europe, North America, and Asia.
Written by urgent.news from GBC Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
