The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Eric Opoku, has appealed to Chinese companies and investors to partner with Ghana to revitalise the once-thriving cotton, garment and textile industries.He said the revival of the cotton value chain would not only boost industrial production but also create thousands of jobs, particularly in rural areas, and support the government's 24-hour economy and employment creation agenda.Mr Opoku made the appeal in Accra yesterday during the day-two of Ghana China Business Summit 2025, where he outlined key investment opportunities in Ghana's agriculture and agro-processing sectors.The five-day summit on the theme "The Big Push," is being organised by SINO-Africa Group, Perfect World Company Limited and the Government of Ghana.In addition to the local attendees, the event was attended by 120 Chinese companies, investors and delegates to explore investment opportunities and deepen the bilateral and trade relations between Ghana and China.Mr Opoku said strategic partnerships were needed to unlock Ghana's full industrial potential."China has a strong tradition in textile and garment manufacturing, and Ghana is well-positioned to benefit from this expertise.
We are seeking forward-looking investors to help us reactivate the cotton sector from cultivation to weaving and garment production," the Minister said.He stated that at its peak, the cotton industry, alongside timber, operated on a 24-hour production cycle and played a pivotal role in supporting textile manufacturing and rural livelihoods across Northern Ghana and the wider sub-Saharan region.According to the Minister, critical assets such as the Juapong Textile Factory, once a vibrant centre of cotton processing and fabric production, still existed and could serve as anchor projects for a modern, export-oriented textile sector under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)."Since 2022, cotton production in Ghana has come to a halt despite the continued availability of key factors such as fertile land, trained labour, and technical know-how," Mr Opoku noted.He said the government was committed to supporting private sector-led efforts to revive the cotton and garment sector, with targeted incentives, investment guarantees, land access support and local content policies to ensure sustainable development."Our goal is to develop integrated value chains that support the local textile and garment industries, including production of school uniforms, African prints, and industrial fabrics, while reducing dependence on imported materials," he said.Mr Opoku said the Ministry was also developing investment compacts for flagship interventions, with innovative business models and performance-based financing to ensure investor confidence and project viability.He urged Chinese investors to explore opportunities in Ghana's wider agro-industrial sector, including poultry, cassava, and cashew processing, as part of broader efforts to transform Ghana into a manufacturing hub."With the right partnerships, we can align Ghana's agricultural potential with China's industrial capacity to build resilient supply chains and achieve shared prosperity," the Minister said."Ghana is open for business.
The land is ready.
The people are ready.
