• From July 14, 2025, palm oil importers in Ghana must register and obtain permits

• The move aims to stabilize the domestic market and protect local producers from unfair competition

• Ghana imported an average of 257,400 tons of crude palm oil annually between 2019 and 2023

Ghana, Africa's fifth-largest palm oil producer, is taking steps to tighten control over palm oil imports as it seeks to boost investment in its domestic industry, which currently supplies only 70% of national demand.

Starting July 14, 2025, the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) will require all palm oil importers to register and obtain official permits to operate in the country. The new regulation, announced on June 17, covers imports of Crude Palm Oil (CPO), Crude Palm Olein, and Refined Palm Olein.

According to officials, the move is intended to stabilize Ghana’s domestic market, which has been disrupted by unregulated imports. These imports have led to unfair competition, lower product quality, and reduced market opportunities for local farmers and processors. The TCDA aims to enhance product quality assurance, track import volumes and origins, and strengthen investor confidence through improved governance.

Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows that Ghana imported an average of about 257,400 tons of CPO per year between 2019 and 2023, with suppliers including Malaysia, Indonesia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Colombia.

The import control measure comes as Ghana prepares to roll out a new industrial policy for the palm oil sector. Announced in April by Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, the policy targets the development of 50,000 hectares of industrial palm oil plantations to expand raw material supply for domestic processing.

The project’s first phase involves mobilizing $100 million in private investment to develop the initial 20,000 hectares. In parallel, Oro Oil Ghana, a major palm oil exporter, launched a 10-year investment plan in March 2025 in partnership with Nigerian investors to modernize production and increase output.

Beyond stabilizing the local market, the TCDA's move to enforce stricter import controls could help create a more attractive environment for private investment in line with the country's new industrial policy for the sector.