Ghana plans raw cocoa export ban by 2030 as it pushes local processing

Ghana will ban the export of raw cocoa beans by 2030, Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson said on Thursday, Nov 13, as part of a phased plan to process the crop locally.

The West African nation is the world’s second-largest cocoa producer. Forson told parliament while presenting the 2027 budget that Ghana will process at least 50% of its cocoa locally by 2028 and all of it by 2030.

Processing targets

Ghana currently processes between 30% and 40% of its beans locally. The country has installed domestic processing capacity of 504,780 metric tons, but existing processors have been operating below 50% of capacity because most beans are sold on the international market.

Domestic capacity will expand beyond primary grinding into cocoa liquor, butter, cake, powder, chocolate, cosmetics and other finished products, Forson said.

“The country that grows the bean must retain a far greater share of the industry built around it,” he said.

Capacity gap

The plan seeks to close the gap between Ghana’s installed processing capacity and actual use. Most cocoa beans are currently exported in raw form, leaving local processors with unused capacity.

Forson said the phased approach will move the country from raw bean exports to a broader range of processed and finished cocoa products.

Production outlook

Ghana harvested 781,000 tons of cocoa in the 2025/26 season, but production is expected to fall by 16% this season.

The export ban and local processing targets come as Ghana seeks to capture more value from its cocoa industry.