Ministry of Trade to lead feed industries expansion under 24-Hour Economy policy

The Ministry of Trade, Industries and Agribusiness is positioning Feed Industries as a central pillar of Ghana’s proposed 24-Hour Economy, with a focus on expanding industrial raw-material supply, sustaining round-the-clock factory operations, creating youth employment, and boosting exports.

Working with sector ministries, state agencies and private-sector partners, the ministry is leading a Feed Industries framework that treats agriculture as an industrial input system designed to keep factories operating continuously, rather than as stand-alone farm production.

As part of the initiative, the government has secured more than 15,000 acres of land in the Central Region, alongside additional tracts in other regions, to roll out a Youth in Exotic Crops and Agro-Industrial Value-Chain Programme. The programme is structured to supply processing factories with consistent, export-grade raw materials throughout the year.

Feed Industries to Support 24-Hour Factory Operations

Under the framework, Feed Industries aims to eliminate raw-material shortages that often disrupt factory operations, particularly in agro-processing. The programme targets large-scale and structured production of crops specifically required by food, beverage and agro-processing factories.

Priority crops include pineapple, citrus, avocado, mango, coconut, papaya, ginger and other strategic industrial inputs.

According to the ministry, the approach is expected to reduce factory downtime, improve capacity utilisation and support a shift from raw agricultural exports to value-added, export-ready processed products.

Central Region Anchors: Ekumfi and CCPL

In the Central Region’s emerging agro-industrial corridor, Ekumfi Fruit & Juices Ltd and Central Citrus Processing Ltd (CCPL) have been identified as anchor processors under the Feed Industries model.

The two companies are expected to serve as industrial off-takers, benefiting from predictable and long-term raw-material supply, stable input volumes and pricing, and improved competitiveness through 24-hour production cycles.

The framework also incorporates structured youth participation through contract farming and shared-grower arrangements linked directly to processing plants.

Over 18,000 Youth Jobs Planned

Beyond raw-material supply, the Feed Industries programme is projected to generate more than 18,000 direct and indirect jobs for young people across the agricultural and agro-industrial value chain.

Employment opportunities will span farming, mechanisation, aggregation, processing, logistics, quality control, packaging and exports.

To support continuous production, the programme introduces a Youth Agro-Industrial Enclave Model, which integrates employment with accommodation located on or near production and processing sites.

The enclaves are designed to support shift-based, day-and-night factory operations, while reducing transport costs, improving worker safety and enhancing productivity and job retention.

Trade and Export Impact

The Ministry of Trade says the Feed Industries initiative aligns with national goals of industrialisation and export growth by expanding raw-material supply for 24-hour production, promoting sustainable youth employment, reducing imports of fruit juices and food inputs, and increasing export earnings from processed agro-industrial products.

The ministry describes the model as scalable and capable of being replicated across other regions as Ghana advances its 24-Hour Economy agenda.