The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Trade and Industry Committee and Member of Parliament for New Juaben, Mr. Michael Baafi, has cautioned that the continued export of raw rubber, despite an existing ban, is severely undermining Ghana’s local rubber industry.
Raising the issue on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, December 16, Mr. Baafi said foreign exporters are still shipping raw rubber out of the country in clear violation of the prohibition. He noted that the practice persists even though local demand for the commodity remains high and should be prioritised to support domestic manufacturers.
According to him, the situation has created serious challenges for local processing companies, many of which are struggling to secure adequate raw materials to sustain their operations.
Mr. Baafi cited the Ghana Rubber Estate as a case in point, explaining that the company’s workforce has declined from over 4,000 employees to about 3,000 due to the downturn in the industry.
He added that the impact of the unchecked exports goes beyond manufacturing firms, affecting farmers and other players along the rubber value chain.
The New Juaben MP further criticised the Tree Crops Development Authority, accusing the agency of tacitly supporting exporters by permitting them to buy raw rubber directly from farm gates. He argued that this practice deprives local processors of critical supply and weakens the domestic industry.
Mr. Baafi warned that if the trend is not reversed, it could lead to a further contraction of the rubber sector and undermine the country’s broader economic interests.
He therefore called on the Ministries of Finance, Food and Agriculture, and Trade and Industry to urgently intervene to ensure strict enforcement of the ban on raw rubber exports and compel the Tree Crops Development Authority to act in the interest of local industry.
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