Shito standard dispute: Ghana could lose US$170m export market, consultant warns GSA
Michael Addai Sackeyfio wants the Ghana Standards Authority to secure geographical indication protection for traditional shito before revising its standard.
Ghana Standards Authority consultant Michael Addai Sackeyfio has warned that the government could forfeit a US$170 million export market by revising the national shito standard. In a recent policy publication, Sackeyfio contended that expanding the condiment's regulatory definition would dilute its identity and expose local producers to counterfeit products.
Currently, the Ghana Standards specification GS 240:2017 governs the commercial production of black pepper sauce. Sackeyfio emphasized that traditional shito is made with a specific blend of pepper, onion, ginger, oil, tomato, and dried fish or shrimp. He called for the name to be reserved for products following this standard recipe.
For other formulations, he suggested labeling them as "Pepper Sauce" under a separate category. Drawing parallels with protected global foods like Greece's Feta cheese, Italy's Parmigiano Reggiano, and South Africa's Rooibos, Sackeyfio urged authorities to register shito under Ghana's Geographical Indications Act, 2003. By projecting a US$20.1 million export baseline for 2024, he estimated that a protected premium shito brand could generate up to US$170 million annually in non-traditional exports.
Sackeyfio also advocated for a Shito Heritage Fund, funded through certification fees and export taxes, to support the communities supplying the ingredients. Additionally, he suggested the Food and Drugs Authority and Customs investigate reports of counterfeit shito imports before major export events such as the GEXPO 2026 trade exhibition.
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