Add value to cotton before export – Trade Minister urges Ghana

Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has called for a deliberate effort to add value to Ghana’s cotton before it is exported, arguing that the country stands to gain significantly by developing a strong domestic textile and apparel value chain.

According to Minister Ofosu-Adjare, Ghana and other African countries continue to lose substantial economic value by exporting raw cotton while importing processed textile products.

The Minister said Ghana needed to move away from the traditional practice of exporting raw materials and importing finished products, stressing that greater value must be retained within the country.