The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has formally inaugurated the newly constituted Grains Export Permits Committee, charging the 11-member body with the mandate to bring transparency and professional integrity to Ghana’s agricultural trade.
At the ceremony held in Accra, the Minister, in a speech read on her behalf, emphasized that the committee’s work is pivotal to balancing international trade ambitions with the essential requirement of national food security. She noted that the committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Sampson Ahi, is expected to serve as the regulatory gatekeeper for the export of critical staples, including maize, rice, and soya beans.
“As demand for our grains continues to grow beyond our borders, it is imperative that exports are managed in a manner that is transparent, efficient, and aligned with our national priorities.
“We must promote fairness and accountability; export permits must be issued based on clear criteria and sound data, without unwarranted delays that could undermine the confidence of our international partners”
Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry
The inauguration comes at a critical time for the grains sector, which serves as a primary source of livelihood for millions of rural Ghanaians. As demand for Ghanaian grains increases across the West African sub-region and beyond, the government is moving to replace ad-hoc export restrictions with a structured, data-driven permit system.
Hon. Ofosu-Adjare stressed that permit decisions must be “guided by evidence” rather than ambiguity, ensuring that domestic supply remains stable while allowing traders to capitalize on high-value international markets. She added that the grains sector is a strategic pillar of the “Feed Ghana Programme,” which aims to modernize the country’s food systems.
By regulating exports through a specialized committee, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI), intends to prevent the sudden “food gluts” or “scarcities” that have historically destabilized market prices for both producers and consumers.
The 11-member committee will review export applications against current national stock levels, ensuring that the country’s strategic reserves – managed by the National Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) – are sufficiently replenished before surplus grains are released for foreign trade.
Hon. Ofosu-Adjare further tasked the committee to maintain a high level of “due diligence” to prevent the illegal cross-border smuggling of subsidized agricultural inputs disguised as grain exports. This regulatory oversight is expected to build a more predictable business environment for commercial farmers and aggregators, who have previously called for clearer guidelines on export quotas.
Professionalism and Accountability
In his acceptance speech, the Committee Chairman, Hon. Sampson Ahi, assured the Ministry of the members’ readiness to “work assiduously,” to regularize the sector.
“Our commitment is to help regularize and strengthen the grains sector. We understand the weight of this mandate – balancing the need for foreign exchange with the necessity of keeping food affordable for the average Ghanaian.
“We will discharge our duties with the highest level of professionalism and integrity, ensuring that the grains sector remains a resilient engine of our economic growth”
Hon. Sampson Ahi, Grains Export Permits Committee Chairman
The committee is expected to collaborate closely with the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to ensure that all exported grains meet the phytosanitary requirements of the destination countries, thereby protecting the “Ghana Brand,” in global markets.
The establishment of this committee marks a transition from the total export bans seen in 2024 toward a more nuanced quota-based system.
This approach allows the government to respond dynamically to harvest outcomes, adjusting the volume of allowed exports in real-time based on local availability.
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