{
  "id": 3983883,
  "title": "Add value to cotton before export – Trade Minister urges Ghana",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/add-value-to-cotton-before-export-trade-minister-urges-ghana",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T14:57:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/add-value-to-cotton-before-export-trade-minister-urges-ghana/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ghana's Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has urged for the enhancement of value addition to cotton before it is exported, emphasizing that the nation stands to benefit immensely from the establishment of a robust domestic textile and apparel value chain. Ms. Ofosu-Adjare pointed out that Ghana, like other African countries, is losing substantial economic value by exporting raw cotton while simultaneously importing processed textile products. At the inauguration of the Northshore Apparel manufacturing hub in Savelugu, she underscored the necessity for stronger connections between agriculture and manufacturing. Ms. Ofosu-Adjare noted that while Africa supplies nearly one-tenth of the world's traded cotton, it exports approximately 90% of its raw cotton to Asia. This scenario reveals a significant loss of value before the cotton reaches the stage of being spun into thread and eventually woven into garments. Emphasizing the potential of Ghana, the Minister highlighted the expansive agricultural possibilities in the northern part of the country with over four million hectares of savannah zones remaining uncultivated. She shared her recent visit to Bente Energies Limited in Zugali, where the company is conducting experimental cotton cultivation, reporting positive outcomes. If the current cultivation proves successful, the company plans to expand the production to more than 5,000 hectares in the following year. Ms. Ofosu-Adjare stressed the importance of moving away from the conventional practice of exporting raw materials and importing completed goods. She cited China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam as examples of developing economies that have secured a substantial portion of the global apparel market through significant investments in manufacturing and export capacity. The Minister believed that Ghana could follow a similar trajectory by developing the required infrastructure, skills, raw material supply, and market access. The newly commissioned Northshore Apparel facility, she pointed out, demonstrates the potential for indigenous Ghanaian businesses to invest in large-scale manufacturing outside of the traditional industrial hubs of Accra and Tema. This facility, designed to produce competitively for both local and international markets, is expected to generate employment opportunities for young people in the Northern Region. Ms. Ofosu-Adjare stressed the importance of collaboration between farmers and manufacturers to build a sustainable cotton-to-garment industry in Ghana. She reiterated that the production and processing of cotton locally would create opportunities for farmers, support job creation, foster industrialization, and boost export growth. \"Every garment that leaves this facility for a customer abroad is a step towards Ghana we are building,\" she concluded. \"A Ghana that produces, that adds value, and that exports with pride.\" The Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting manufacturers, improving the ease of doing business, and opening export markets through Ghana's trade agreements, aiming to build an economy that produces more, adds value to its resources, and competes effectively in global markets.",
  "summary": "Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has called for a deliberate effort to add value to Ghana’s cotton before it is exported, arguing that the country stands to gain significantly by developing a strong domestic textile and apparel value chain.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "NPRA urges Ghana’s informal sector workers to enrol on Tier-3 pension scheme",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/npra-urges-ghanas-informal-sector-workers-to-enrol-on-tier-3-pension",
        "published": "2026-08-28T13:46:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "IET President urges engineers to drive Ghana’s infrastructure transformation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/iet-president-urges-engineers-to-drive-ghanas-infrastructure",
        "published": "2026-08-28T14:46:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}