Ghana to Cut Palm Oil Imports by $200 Million Through New China Alliance

Ghana is stepping up efforts to cut its palm oil import bill by around $200 million a year, as it seeks to attract Chinese investors to support an ambitious agricultural transformation drive.

• Ghanaian President John Mahama and Chinese President Xi Jinping: Ghana's Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare pointed to progress as Accra and Beijing move towards a duty-free trade agreement intended to boost exports and create jobs.
• Ghana is accelerating its agricultural transformation and inviting Chinese investors to back joint ventures across the sector.
• The Integrated Palm Oil Development Programme aims to develop 100,000 hectares and create 250,000 jobs.
• Government initiatives include seed distribution, expanded irrigation networks and support for mechanisation.
• With access to the 400-million-strong ECOWAS market, Ghana is positioning itself as a regional hub for agriculture and industry.

Speaking at the 2026 Chinese New Year celebration in Accra, Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku said agriculture had become central to President John Dramani Mahama's agenda for resetting the economy.

He noted that the 2026 budget positions agriculture as a catalyst for industrialisation, export expansion, job creation and foreign exchange stability.

As part of this push, the government is distributing 31,000 metric tonnes of rice seed, 4,388 metric tonnes of maize seed, 2,791 metric tonnes of soybean seed and 272,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser this year.

Authorities are also expanding irrigation infrastructure and building dams in the northern regions to reduce reliance on rain-fed farming.

Opoku highlighted the substantial opportunities available to Chinese companies, particularly in irrigation systems, mechanisation, agro-processing and machinery assembly.

"We are not looking for aid. We are building joint ventures," he said, urging investors to move "from trading to production".

The Integrated Palm Oil Development Programme, scheduled to run from 2026 to 2032, sits at the heart of this strategy. The initiative aims to develop 100,000 hectares of plantations, create 250,000 jobs and sharply reduce palm oil imports.

With organised land banks already on offer, Ghana is positioning itself as a regional hub for agriculture and manufacturing, drawing on access to the ECOWAS market of more than 400 million people to attract long-term investment.