Ghana has taken a major step towards strengthening its agro-industrial sector by signing an MoU between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and B5 Plus Limited to establish a large-scale cashew processing plant in the country.

The agreement was signed by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, and the Executive Director of B5 Plus Limited, Mukesh Thakwani.

It sets out a collaborative framework for developing and managing the cashew processing facility under a Build-Operate (BO) model.

Ghana is one of the major producers of raw cashew nuts in Africa, yet a significant portion is exported without value addition.

The MoU recognizes the urgent need to shift from raw exports to domestic processing to enhance farmer incomes, expand employment opportunities, and diversify exports.

Under the arrangement, B5 Plus Limited will finance, design, construct, equip, own, and operate the plant at its own cost and risk, subject to regulatory approvals.

The Ministry will facilitate policy coordination, land support, stakeholder engagement, and inter-agency approvals to ensure smooth implementation.

The initiative aligns with Ghana’s economic transformation agenda, including industrialization, import substitution, and sustainable export growth.