The Association of Natural Rubber Actors of Ghana (ANRAG) has dismissed claims questioning its legitimacy, pricing influence and the structure of Ghana’s rubber industry, insisting that available data does not support allegations being advanced by sections of the sector.

At the same time, the Association has raised concerns about foreign exchange compliance, export valuation practices and the long-term sustainability of financing within the rubber industry amid continued exports of raw natural rubber.

In a statement signed by its Secretary, Perry Acheampong, ANRAG described recent allegations by the Rubber Farmers Association of Ghana (RUFAG) and the Western Rubber Farmers Association (WRUFA) as misleading and unsupported by evidence.

Legitimacy and mandate

ANRAG explained that it is a legally constituted, non-profit industry association registered under the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992), and was formally inaugurated by the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) on August 15, 2024, the same day its National Executive Council was sworn into office.

The Association stressed that it has no regulatory authority, but serves as an umbrella body for farmers, processors, traders, aggregators, nursery operators and input suppliers, with a mandate to promote sustainable development, value addition and orderly market conduct.

“Any claims that ANRAG is an illegitimate or self-appointed body are factually incorrect,” the statement said.

Pricing data contradicts farmer-welfare claims

Addressing concerns that restrictions on raw rubber exports would harm farmers, ANRAG said pricing data for 2025 does not support that argument.

According to the Association, the statutory minimum producer price set by the TCDA averaged GH¢8.52 per kilogram in 2025, while prices paid by processors, traders and aggregators consistently exceeded this floor throughout the year.

ANRAG noted that processors, in several cases, paid prices comparable to or higher than those offered by traders and aggregators, describing the minimum price regime as a protective floor rather than a ceiling.

“This evidence does not support the claim that farmers depend on exports to secure fair prices,” the statement said.

No monopoly in the rubber industry

The Association also rejected claims that Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) monopolises the rubber sector, noting that Ghana currently has seven licensed rubber processing factories, in addition to numerous licensed traders and aggregators.

“A market with multiple processors and competing buyers cannot be described as a monopoly,” ANRAG stated.

Export valuation and value-addition concerns

Beyond pricing, ANRAG raised concerns about export valuation and lost domestic value addition.

Export data covering 10 months of 2025 — January to September and December — indicate that about 39,000 metric tonnes of raw rubber were exported under 195 export declarations.

Based on declared customs records, the Free on Board (FOB) value of these exports stood at approximately US$4.48 million. However, when benchmarked against TCDA’s minimum purchase reference prices, ANRAG’s preliminary analysis suggests an indicative export value of about US$26.03 million, implying a potential valuation gap of roughly US$21.55 million.

The Association further estimated that if the exported volumes had been processed domestically, Ghana could have generated about US$75.79 million in export revenue, based on prevailing international prices for processed rubber (Technically Specified Rubber – TSR) used by the TCDA.

Compared with the declared US$4.48 million from raw rubber exports, ANRAG said this represents foregone value-addition and foreign exchange earnings of approximately US$71.17 million.

Regulatory process and forex exposure

ANRAG also cited Regulation 50 of the Tree Crops Development Authority Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2471), which requires TCDA, in consultation with the relevant value-chain committee, to determine the proportion of produce reserved for local processors before export.

The Association said it is not aware that such consultation with the Rubber Value Chain Committee took place prior to the issuance of export permits, raising concerns about compliance with the regulatory process.

On foreign exchange, ANRAG noted that under-declaration of export values, if established, could reduce the amount of foreign currency repatriated through authorised banking channels, potentially incentivising raw material exports over domestic processing.

While stopping short of alleging non-compliance, the Association said resistance to export restrictions “raises legitimate questions about who benefits most from the current export regime.”

Credit financing risks

ANRAG warned that sustained exports of raw rubber are undermining long-standing credit-financing arrangements in the sector, exposing banks and farmer outgrower schemes to repayment risks.

It cited tripartite financing structures involving farmer groups, technical operators such as GREL and Rubber Processing Ghana Limited (RPGL), and financial institutions including the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and National Investment Bank (NIB).

Between 1995 and 2016, these facilities supported over 9,200 farmers, financed more than 32,000 hectares of plantations and involved total credit exposure of about €61.8 million.

According to ANRAG, diversion of raw rubber away from domestic processors has weakened cash flows, stalled reinvestment and increased repayment risks across the value chain.

Call for unity and data-driven oversight

The Association rejected claims that farmers are resisting export restrictions, stating that farmers continue to enjoy guaranteed market access and prices above statutory minimums.

ANRAG reaffirmed its support for the TCDA’s statutory mandate under Act 1010 and L.I. 2471, and called for unity across the rubber value chain.

As Ghana seeks to strengthen its balance-of-payments position and deepen agro-industrialisation, the Association said the raw rubber export debate should be guided by data-driven oversight of export valuation, forex compliance and domestic value addition.