CTEAG leadership pledges support for President Mahama to revamp cashew sector

The leadership of the Cashew Traders and Exporters Association of Ghana (CTEAG) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with President John Dramani Mahama in revitalizing the cashew sector.

Speaking in an interview with the Media, the National Organizer of the Association, Kwabena Owusu, congratulated President John Dramani Mahama and his two Ministers who would be working in the cashew sector; the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku and the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, on their landmark successes in the 2024 general elections and their subsequent appointments

The association lauded President Mahama’s vision for agricultural transformation and affirmed their willingness to work closely with his administration to implement policies that will drive sustainable growth in cashew production and exports. They believe that with the right support, Ghana’s cashew industry can become a major economic driver, providing employment opportunities and increasing foreign exchange earnings.

Kwabena Owusu urged the new Ministers to work diligently to revamp the cashew sector by ensuring that foreign entities are removed from the retail market, in accordance with the country’s laws. He emphasized that the Tree Crops Development Authority Act 2023 permits only Ghanaians to participate in the local purchasing of cashew nuts and called for strict enforcement of this regulation.

“There has been a change in government, and for that reason, we want to officially congratulate the sector minister and wish him all the best in his role as the Minister of Agriculture.

“It is our sincere prayer that he succeeds as the Agriculture Minister. The country’s vision is to improve the cashew value chain, and I strongly believe that the minister shares the same vision with us in the cashew industry.

“We are more than willing to assist the minister with our expertise in the industry. However, we urge the minister to enforce the Tree Crops Development Authority Act 2023.

“We have observed that many foreign players in the cashew value chain are not abiding by the law regarding cashew business, despite the existence of a ten-year development plan.” He stated.

The Cashew Traders and Exporters Association also called for the expansion of cashew production, as outlined in the ten-year development plan established several years ago.

The ten-year development plan for cashew production seeks to enhance value addition, improve quality standards, and ensure fair pricing mechanisms for farmers.

Kwabena Owusu revealed that, by working with the government, CTEAG aims to implement strategic initiatives that will not only boost local production but also increase Ghana’s competitiveness in the global cashew market.

“Our vision is to increase production by 500 metric tonnes over the next ten years and process at least half of it. Therefore, we appeal to the Agriculture Minister to implement effective measures to help achieve this goal.” He said.

Source: Elvisanokyenews.com