Ghana is on the verge of signing a transformative end harvest agreement with China, designed to grant zero tariff access for key Ghanaian exports into the world’s second largest economy.

The deal, announced by Trade and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare, targets high value agricultural commodities including cocoa, shea butter, and cashews.

This strategic partnership aims to narrow Ghana’s trade deficit while fueling a new wave of industrial growth across West Africa.

The agreement is a cornerstone of Ghana’s broader export diversification strategy, moving the nation beyond the raw export of gold and oil.

By securing duty free entry into China’s vast consumer market, the Ghanaian government expects to stimulate significant job creation in the manufacturing and textile sectors.

Officials believe that Chinese industrial input remains the vital engine needed to transition Ghana from a resource dependent economy to a regional manufacturing hub.

Speaking at a recent sod cutting ceremony for a new manufacturing facility in Accra, Minister Ofosu Adjare emphasized that the partnership would allow Ghana to refine its own raw materials specifically oil and textiles before exporting them.

This value addition approach is intended to ensure that more of the profit from Ghanaian resources stays within the country, supporting the President’s Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.

The formal signing of the framework is expected in the coming weeks. If successful, regional analysts suggest the pact could set a new precedent for Afro Chinese commercial relations.

By integrating Ghanaian agriculture and manufacturing into the global supply chain at a zero tariff rate, the deal could trigger a ripple effect, encouraging other West African nations to seek similar bilateral concessions.

SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA