Ghana has hosted a regional conference to highlight the economic potential of cashew apple valorisation, as policymakers and industry players called for urgent investment and collaboration to reduce waste.
The Regional Cashew Apple Valorization Conference and Exhibition, organised by the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) in partnership with the GIZ project Market‑Oriented Value Chains for Jobs and Growth in the ECOWAS region (MOVE‑ComCashew), was held on the theme “Unlocking Value, Empowering Growth.”
The high‑level event has brought together nearly 150 participants from Ghana and abroad, including policymakers, private sector actors, processors, researchers, investors, development partners and industry associations, to explore ways of converting cashew apples, often discarded on farms into commercially viable products.
A key feature of the event was an exhibition showcasing innovative cashew apple products, processing technologies and business models, providing a platform for business‑to‑business engagement and investment promotion.
Mr Eric Opoku, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, in a speech read on his behalf, said the conference marked a turning point in efforts to move the cashew sector beyond its traditional focus on raw nut exports.
“While cashew has emerged as one of Ghana’s most strategic non‑traditional export crops, our attention over the years has largely been on the raw nut, leaving the rest of the fruit underutilised,” Mr Opoku said.
He noted that Ghana produced about 252,932 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts in the 2023/2024 season, generating an estimated two million metric tonnes of cashew apples, yet most of the apples go to waste.
“This is not just a missed opportunity; it is a call to action,” the Agric Minister said, adding that cashew apple valorisation could create new industries, raise farmer incomes, generate jobs for women and youth and reduce post‑harvest losses.
Mr Opoku said the government’s broader agro‑industrialisation agenda was already driving increased investment in the tree crops sector.
He cited a memorandum of understanding signed in February 2026 between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and B5 Plus Limited to establish a large‑scale cashew processing factory, alongside engagements with other investors such as Sentuo Group Limited.
“These developments point to a clear policy direction: Ghana is moving decisively from raw commodity exports to value‑added industrial production,” he said.
Dr Andrews Osei Okrah, TCDA Chief Executive Officer, said cashew apple waste remained one of the most striking inefficiencies within the sector, despite Ghana’s steady growth in cashew production.
He noted that about two million tonnes of cashew apples that are largely left to rot on farms represent a loss of income, jobs and industrial opportunity.
Dr Okrah said his visits to cashew‑growing areas in Bono and Bono East regions shortly after assuming office in February 2025 reinforced the urgency of addressing the challenge, as many farmers lacked knowledge and resources to utilise the apples.
He said the conference was designed to go beyond discussion by identifying concrete investment opportunities, strengthening collaboration between research institutions and the private sector, and advancing market development and commercialisation pathways.
Mr Sampson Ahi, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, said the forum was important in bringing together critical players across the value chain to rethink long‑standing approaches to cashew production.
“For many years, attention has been on the cashew nut, while the apple has been left on the farm as waste. This represents lost jobs, lost raw materials and lost income, considering the potential the cashew apple possesses for farmers and the wider economy,” the Deputy Minister said.
Source : GNA