Ghana has secured a major diplomatic and economic breakthrough following official confirmation from the United States that the 15% tariff on its cocoa and selected agricultural exports has been fully removed.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the development on Monday, noting that Washington communicated the reversal directly to Accra. According to him, the tariff removal took effect on 13 November 2025, following a new Executive Order issued by US President Donald Trump.
Tariff Rollback Comes Amid Sensitive Bilateral Issues
The announcement follows a tense period in Ghana–US relations.
Recently, Accra accepted dozens of West African deportees from the US on what the government termed humanitarian grounds, a move that faced sharp criticism back home. At the same time, Washington lifted visa restrictions previously placed on Ghanaian travellers.
Boost for Ghana’s Cocoa Sector
Ablakwa noted that Ghana exports around 78,000 metric tons of cocoa beans to the US annually.
With spot prices at $5,300 per metric ton, the minister said the country stands to gain an additional $60 million yearly due to the tariff removal.
The tariff rescission also affects several other agricultural exports, including:
- cashew nuts
- avocados
- bananas
- mangoes
- plantain
- pineapples
- coconuts
- ginger
- peppers
Economists Hail the Development
Accra-based economist Daniel Amateye Anim-Prempeh described the move as a “win-win situation,” noting that Ghana’s cocoa-dominated agricultural economy stands to benefit significantly from renewed access to the US market.
Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, remains heavily dependent on export revenue to stabilise its currency and fund public spending.
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