The Soya Value Chain Association of Ghana (SVCAG) has called on the government to immediately lift the ban on the export of soybeans, warning that the continued restriction is crippling the livelihoods of thousands of farmers, processors, and aggregators across the country.

In a statement issued in November 2025 and signed by Yaw Afrifa, Executive Secretary of the Association, and Thomas W. Bello, Association Chairman, the SVCAG described the export ban as “economically unjust and counterproductive,” adding that it has deepened financial distress among farmers in Ghana’s northern regions.

The export restriction, introduced under the Export and Import (Restrictions on Exportation of Grains) Regulations, 2022 (L.I. 2467), which replaced L.I. 2432, limits the export of rice, maize, and soya to protect national food security.

However, the Association argues that the policy has had severe unintended effects on the soybean industry.

According to the statement, the price of soybeans has fallen sharply from GHS 1,200 per 100kg in October 2023 to GHS 500 per 100kg by October 2025, a drop that has significantly reduced farmer incomes and discouraged production.

The SVCAG noted that the ban, which has been in place since December 2024, has created “severe market distortions” and jeopardised the sustainability of soybean farming, particularly in the five northern regions, where the crop remains a major source of employment for youth and women.

While local processors initially supported the export restrictions, the Association said many are now struggling to compete due to cheap soy meal imports from the United States and direct bean imports by large foreign-owned companies.

These developments, it added, have undermined local value addition and created an uneven playing field for Ghanaian agribusinesses.

“This issue is no longer just about trade, it has become a matter of economic justice and human rights.

Our farmers deserve fair access to markets and fair prices for their produce,” the statement emphasised.

The SVCAG has therefore called on the government to take immediate action to:

 

Lift the export ban on soybeans to stabilise prices and restore farmer confidence. Reconstitute the export restriction committee to include representatives from the Association and other key stakeholders.