EXIM Bank, PIAA lead nationwide inspection of coconut farms
Ghana EXIM Bank, the Presidential Initiative on Agriculture and Agribusiness (PIAA), and the Coconut Federation Ghana have completed a major inspection tour of coconut farms in 10 key producing regions, just two months after distributing 3 million elite, disease-resistant seedlings to farmers.
The initiative, fully funded by EXIM Bank is part of the government’s flagship programme to plant 11 million seedlings across 11 regions, aimed at positioning Ghana as Africa’s leading coconut producer and a strong competitor on the global market.
GEXIM has identified coconut as a high-value export crop with significant potential for foreign exchange earnings, job creation, and rural economic development. Global demand for coconut products continues to rise, with coconut water valued at US$5.73 billion, coconut meat at US$5.19 billion, and coir products at US$0.64 billion.
Ghana’s export footprint is also expanding. In 2021, the country exported more than 41 million kilogrammes of coconut worth US$11.44 million. By 2022, Ghana had become the world’s ninth-largest exporter of desiccated coconut, valued at US$22 million, contributing to a global coconut trade worth US$14.19 billion in 2023.
At Fruit Logistica 2025 in Berlin, international buyers showed strong interest in Ghana’s coconut products—including desiccated coconut, fresh nuts, oil, copra cake, and coir—highlighting the country’s organic cultivation practices, superior taste, and high oil content.
During the inspection, the team visited over 600 farms and observed strong seedling performance alongside high levels of farmer commitment. Vice-President of the Coconut Federation, Kwaku Boateng, commended the progress made and emphasised the sector’s potential to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, especially for youth and women.
Farmers expressed gratitude for the free seedlings, with many requesting additional supplies for the next planting season to scale up production.
Coconut cultivation now spans 11 regions, engaging thousands of farmers, processors, and exporters. The EXIM Bank–funded programme aims to support 80,000 farmers, generate over 50,000 indirect and up to 20,000 direct jobs, boost export earnings, and drive rural industrialisation as Ghana works to meet soaring global demand.
Agriwatch
