Shea farmers urged to add value to their products

Shea farmers have been advised to add more value to the produce to help rake in more revenue for the sector.

Over the past few years, Ghana’s shea sector has witnessed some growth in enterprise and some success in value-added product development.

However, USAID West Africa believes Ghanaian shea farmers need to do more in terms of adding value to their products.

This initiative, it says will transform the lives of shea farmers in the country and generate more revenue for economic development.

Mission Director of USAID West Africa, Alex Deprez told STARR BUSINESS that adding value to shea will inure to their benefit.

“I think by adding value to the raw production that is going on right now – I think we’re seeing some of that today where you have Ghanaian producers making various products – but I think we can do more. I think particularly promising is the chocolate industry whereby you can add shea to the chocolate, and that’s a huge demand in the future,” he said.

According to Shea Network Ghana, the country’s shea industry contributes about US$800 million to US#1 billion a year to the national economy.