Ghana-China Zero-Tariff Fund proposed to support exporters

Stakeholders from the government, financial institutions, the private sector, and academia have proposed the creation of a dedicated Ghana-China Zero-Tariff Fund. The proposal aims to help Ghanaian exporters overcome financing constraints and better utilize China’s zero-tariff market access.

The suggestion was made during the Ghana-China Zero-Tariff Policy Roundtable in Accra, organized by the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS Africa) and the Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory (ACCPA). Participants identified that while market access has expanded, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggle to increase production, aggregate supplies, and invest in processing due to a lack of capital.

Discussions emphasized that financing should support the entire export value chain rather than just individual exporters. Using the cashew sector as a case study, stakeholders suggested mechanisms such as contract farming finance to support out-growers, warehouse financing, fintech-enabled solutions, and equipment leasing to address funding gaps at various stages of production and supply.