• Ghana’s government plans to exempt import taxes on machines used for agro-food processing to cut costs for processors and boost value addition.
• Large agro-industrial investment projects—such as Dangote Sugar’s 12,000 t/day mill, Nu Agri Asia’s $129 million sugar facility, and Olam’s $200 million pasta/animal feed plants—underline growing momentum in the sector.
• The plan faces structural constraints: many factories run below 40 % capacity due to raw material shortages and high input costs, and a leading cashew processor plans relocation.

On October 13 in Sunyani, Sampson Ahi, Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, restated the government’s intent to waive taxes on imported agro-processing equipment. He linked this tax cut to earlier remarks by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025 during the national agro-industry dialogue in Accra.

Ahi said the government aims to reduce operating costs for industrialists, improve access to modern equipment and increase efficiency across the value chain. He explained the exemption would support processors and attract investment (via GBC).

Several large-scale projects illustrate the government’s push for agro-industrialization. In April 2025, Nigeria’s Dangote Sugar secured approval to build a sugar mill in Kwame-Danso with a capacity of 12,000 tonnes of sugarcane per day. In September, Philippines-based Nu Agri Asia announced a $129 million sugar project in Ghana, while Singapore’s Olam committed $200 million to pasta and animal feed plants.

The government also targets strategic value chains such as shea and palm oil. As of July 2025, it announced a phased ban (by 2026) on raw shea nut exports to stimulate local processing. In April, the Ministry of Finance unveiled a $100 million investment plan to industrialize palm oil and drive self-sufficiency.

Structural bottlenecks threaten impact
 The tax relief plan aims to make Ghana’s agro-industrial sector more attractive to investors. But processors face severe constraints in accessing raw materials. Many factories operate at less than 40 % capacity due to supply shortages—especially in cashew processing, where firms warn of closure.

One flagship case is Usibras Ghana Limited, the country’s largest cashew processor with installed capacity of 35,000 t/year. In September 2025, Usibras publicized plans to relocate to Côte d’Ivoire, citing high power costs, unfavorable export tariffs, and unstable operations.

This situation underscores that Ghana’s agro-industrial revival depends not only on tax policies but also on stabilizing input supply chains and controlling production costs.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum