Ghana Risks Factory Closures If Raw Rubber Exports Continue – Omanhene Warns
Ghana faces the looming threat of widespread rubber factory closures if the government does not take urgent action to control the export of raw rubber, the Vice Chairman of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Kwasi Agyemang, has warned.
Speaking at the 1st Annual General Meeting of the Association of Natural Rubber Actors of Ghana (ANRAG), Nana Agyemang expressed deep concern over the shortage of raw materials affecting local rubber processing companies.
He stated that the ongoing export of raw rubber is depriving domestic industries of the critical input they need for production, thereby putting thousands of jobs at risk.
He urged the government to implement policies that prioritize the supply of raw rubber to local manufacturers over foreign markets.
The President of the Association of Natural Rubber Actors of Ghana (ANRAG), Mr. Emmanuel Always Owusu, in an interview, said the purpose of the meeting is to unite stakeholders in the rubber industry and emphasize the need to add value to raw rubber.
He noted that there is no justification for the export of raw rubber, as local processors have the capacity to handle and add value to the entire volume produced by Ghanaian rubber farmers.
Adding to the call for reform, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Operations at the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), Mr. Rich Kwofie Kwofie Tuo, outlined a key initiative aimed at improving transparency and coordination within the rubber value chain.
He announced that the TCDA is set to roll out a traceability and registration system across the sector.
Story by Nana Fynn@W/R.
