The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), H.E. John Dramani Mahama, has reiterated his commitment to establishing a Cashew Board, separate from the Tree Crops Development Authority, which will focus solely on the development of the cashew sector.
He made this statement while responding to a question during a Bono Regional media encounter in Sunyani.
The encounter allowed the flagbearer to share his vision for the Bono region and address critical concerns affecting the area’s people.
Former President Mahama emphasized that the state would need to purchase cashews from farmers, similar to how it buys cocoa. This approach would help regulate prices and stabilize the cashew market for local farmers.
He further mentioned that his government will establish a fund with seed money of $20 million. Additionally, a 2% levy will be imposed on every export of cashews, which will be added to the seed fund to enable the government to buy cashews directly from farmers.
Moreover, Mahama revealed that while current buyers, mostly Indians, would still be allowed to operate in the sector, they would no longer be permitted to purchase raw cashews for export. Instead, these buyers will be encouraged and supported to build factories in Ghana to process the raw materials, adding value before exporting.
According to the former president, this initiative will boost local processing, create jobs, and enhance the cashew industry’s contribution to Ghana’s economy.
