The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, has called on the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA) to take urgent steps to address the shortage of raw rubber for local processors, warning that the situation threatens the government’s 24-hour economy agenda.
Speaking during a tour of Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) facilities at Apemenim and Abura last Friday, Mr. Nelson expressed concern that local factories were struggling to access raw materials despite the availability of sufficient rubber in the system.
“It does not make sense to have enough raw rubber available and yet processors are struggling to operate. If this continues, the 24-hour economy will be defeated,” he stressed.
The Minister urged TCDA to go beyond price-setting and enforce measures that balance the interests of both farmers and processors. He argued that exports of raw rubber should only be permitted once domestic demand had been fully met.
GREL’s Managing Director, Thierry Cauchy, revealed that the company, with a processing capacity of 120,000 tonnes annually, has been forced to operate below capacity due to shortages. Currently employing fewer than 600 workers, the company has seen over 700 jobs lost, despite investing GH¢840 million since 2018.
Mr. Cauchy further disclosed that raw rubber exports had surged since July despite regulatory restrictions, undermining local processors and disrupting the value chain.
With the Government of Ghana holding a 26.75% stake in GREL, both the Minister and management stressed the urgent need for stricter enforcement to protect local industry and sustain jobs.