Ghanaian Government Aims to Increase Cashew Production in 2020
Tridge — Ghana has transformed Bono East, Bono, and the Ahafo regions, together known as Brong Ahafo, into major cashew nut production areas. This growth has positioned Ghana as one of the largest producers and exporters of raw cashew nuts in Africa.
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Re-Exporting Cashews from West Africa
Finding data about Ghanaian RCN production is not an easy feat. According to data from FAO, 90K tons were produced in 2017. Other sources, such as government data, put the production at 70K tons yearly, but growing rapidly. There are a few West-African countries that produce a lot more than Ghana does, such as the RCN giants Nigeria and Ivory Coast. Nevertheless, RCN export from Ghana is quite high.
In fact, the total amount exported by Ghana, roughly 280K tons, is significantly higher than its production capacity. This is partly due to smuggling from Nigeria and other West-African countries to Ghana, as smugglers can receive a price premium for their RCNs when exporting through Ghana. Another reason is infrastructure problems within large cashew producers, such as Nigeria. Early in 2019, the roads to the largest port in Nigeria became blocked. Many farmers, worried about spoilage, diverted to Ghana to export their RCNs. This has made Ghana into a large exporting hub of cashews.
Increasing Ghanaian Production
The Ghanaian government has put a lot of effort into promoting the domestic cashew industry. Around 220K seeds have been distributed to farmers, which would yield around 750 ha of cashew nuts. Ghana’s government also provides genetic materials within graft banks. The goal is to increase the total planted area by approximately 100K ha by 2020. The Brong Ahafo region is the focal point of these efforts. Although this region is commonly referred to as the breadbasket of Ghana, it is now increasingly devoted to the production of cashew.
Cashews as Integral Part of Export Strategy
As approximately 95% of the RCNs produced in Ghana are destined for export, some experts have raised concerns about increasing devotion to RCN production in Ghana’s breadbasket. The increasing use of land for cashews means that fewer farmers can focus on producing crops for domestic consumption. Many crops that were previously produced in this region, such as maize, are increasingly imported from abroad. Some researchers warn that food security might suffer as a result of the increasing focus on the production of cashews and other treenuts.
The government, however, does not share this worry. They see RCNs, as well as other treenuts, as a commodity that can boost Ghana’s exports. RCNs are a critical part of Ghana’s new ten-year National Export Development Strategy. Certainly, the demand for RCNs is big and growing rapidly, and the Nigerian government is seeking to cash in on this trend by increasing production and export.
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Sources
- The Conversation. “Ghana wants to grow more cashews. But what about unintended consequences?”
- Boafo et al. “Drivers of export-led agriculture in Ghana: The case of emerging cashew production in Ghana’s Brong Ahafo Region.”
- Ghana News Agency. “GEPA to begin implementation of National Export Strategy in 2020.”
- The Clipper. “Nigeria moves to stop cashew nut smuggling.”
- African Cashew Initiative. “A Value Chain Analysis of the Cashew Sector in Ghana.”
