Government neglects shea-nut industry
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot

Accra, March 4, Ghanadot - The Government of Ghana over-emphasis on the cocoa sector as income generator is having negative effect on the other sectors of the economy, especially the shea-nut industry.

Shea-nut farming is major occupation of the people of Northern Ghana , which covers the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions of the country. The people in these areas blend the shea-nut farming with other methods of farming.

The present and successive governments have paid lip-services to the industry. This can be deduced from the fact that governments over years have no plans for the shea-nut sector.

The only body in Ghana that is left to take charge of the shea-nut industry is its main competitor known as the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), which, of course, has major institutional interest in the health of the cocoa sector and not the shea-nut industry.

There are reports available this week that, large quantities of shea-nut bags have piled up in warehouses and markets in the three northern regions of the country at a time the commodity is said to be in high demand on the international market.

In Tamale, the capital of the Northern Region, where hundreds of sack full of the nuts have piled up in the various storehouses are unable to get into the world market.

Aggrieved shea-nut dealers say their colleagues in the Upper East and Upper West Regions faced the same predicament, in spite of the fact that all of them had agreed to a drastic reduction in the price per sack from GH¢12.00 to GH¢9.00 within three weeks.

Many commercial and peasant farmers, as well as those engaged in the collection of shea-nuts in the area; appear to be losing their means of livelihood because of the unfortunate situation.

To this end, many households in Northern Ghana are likely to be affected by any threat to the shea-nut industry, since a huge chunk of the population thrive by gathering, processing and selling of shea-nuts and shea-butter. Some peasant farmers say the situation if not swiftly addressed could affect this year’s farming season.

The national and regional executives of the National Association of Shea-nut Farmers, Processors and Buyers attributed the glut to the over concentration of COCOBOD on the export of cocoa to the disadvantage of shea-nut.

They say with the increase in international demand for shea-nuts, COCOBOD, under which the shea-nut industry has been placed, appeared too keen cocoa and not working in the interest of the shea-nut industry.

According to them, all this is happening at a time of increased awareness of the importance of shea-nut, which has resulted in increased demand for the produce on the international.

However, the COCOBOD Head Office in Accra , the Coordinator of the National Steering Committee for Shea Development, Mr. Ken Brew, explained that the purchase of shea-nuts had long been the preserve of private exporters and wondered whether those laying claims are licensed buyers.

He indicates that the production and purchase of cocoa, coffee and shea-nut are undertaken by private entrepreneurs and that the COCOBOD only facilitate the export of cocoa.

The Deputy Northern Regional Chairman of the association, Mr. Abdulai Bawah was quick to say that initially, the board played an effective role in helping local producers to sell the shea-nuts to companies which exported them but now “we are unsure why that it has withdrawn its support.

Initially, with the support of the board and request from various companies, the dealers sold more than 80% of their stocks each year.

Indeed, companies in Europe are using shea-butter, which is fatty extract from the kernel of a shea-nut, as replacement for cocoa butter to make food products, soaps, medicine and cosmetics due to its moisturizing and healing abilities.

From beginning, shea-nut was only popular in West Africa , where the oil made from it was used to for food and skin protection in the dry season.

The shea-nut producers are therefore calling on the government to establish a shea-nut board to manage the production, processing and selling of shea-nuts in the country.

For Ghana to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, all sectors of the Ghanaian economy must be given key attention to contribute their quota to the MDGs.

Ghanadot