FDA announces new charges for food importers and manufacturers

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has announced new fees for importers and manufacturers of food products, medicines, medical devices, cosmetics and other regulated items under the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2481).

The fees, published by the Ministry of Health, cover product verification, registration and re-registration. Under the new structure, importers of general food products will pay 0.80 per cent of the Free on Board (FOB) value of their goods, while bulk food imports such as rice, wheat, sugar and fish attract a lower rate of 0.25 per cent.

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Importers of drugs will pay 1.80 per cent of the FOB value, while medical devices and veterinary products attract 1.30 per cent.

Cosmetics and household chemical substances will attract 0.50 per cent, with food supplements also charged at 1.30 per cent. Individuals importing medication for personal use, covering up to 90 days, will pay a fixed fee of GH¢100.

For imported food products, registration fees depend on the number of products a business wants to register. Companies registering between one and 30 products will pay GH¢250 per product, while those registering more than 1,000 products will pay GH¢100 per product.

Locally manufactured food products will attract annual registration fees based on the size of the business. Micro-scale manufacturers will pay GH¢100 per year, while large-scale manufacturers will pay GH¢500 annually.

In the pharmaceutical sector, imported allopathic medical products will attract an annual registration fee equivalent to US$240 in cedis, while new chemical products will cost the equivalent of US$360.

Locally manufactured allopathic medicines will attract an annual fee of GH¢1,000, with reduced rates for small-scale manufacturers.

The new fees also cover medical devices, with charges determined by their risk classification.

Imported devices will attract annual fees ranging from the cedi equivalent of US$60 for Class I devices to US$200 for Class IV devices. Locally manufactured devices will pay between GH¢750 for Class I and GH¢1,200 for Class IV.

The new fee structure sets out the charges businesses must pay to have their products verified and registered by the FDA.

ANAS

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