Following this paper’s exposé on the alleged export of unprocessed rubber, the Rubber Processors Association of Ghana (RUPAG) has issued a statement confirming the story and demanding an urgent crackdown on what it describes as illegal raw rubber exports.
The Association, confirming The Chronicle story as published on July 25, 2025 stated categorically that unregulated exports threaten Ghana 24-Hour economy, jobs and industrialization agenda.
RUPAG consequently called on security agencies to intervene in the illegal and unregulated export of raw rubber (cuplumps).
However, Mr. Andrew Okrah, the Chief Executive Officer of Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA), a body mandated to sanitise the industry has told The Chroniclethat loading of rubber from one jurisdiction to another could not be referred to as illegal exports of raw rubber.
Below is the full press statement
The Rubber Processors Association of Ghana (RUPAG) calls on security agencies to intervene in the illegal and unregulated export of raw rubber (cuplumps), which continues to undermine Ghana’s rubber value addition agenda and broader industrialization goals.
The ongoing smuggling of raw cup lumps directly contravenes the Tree Crops Development Authority’s (TCDA) ban under the Tree Crops Regulations, 2023 (L.I.2471), and severely threatens the survival of local processing companies and thousands of livelihoods.
Our factories have the capacity and expertise to process all locally produced rubber. However, ongoing illegal exports deny us access to raw materials, putting processing plants, investments, and jobs at serious risk.
Raw Export Undermines Ghana’s Industrial Growth
Exporting raw cuplumps directly contradicts the government’s industrialization strategy, particularly the 24-hour economy agenda, which is premised on local value addition and
sustained economic activity.
The unprocessed export of raw rubber drains Ghana of potential foreign exchange, stifles industrial development, and weakens the supply to local
Factories, which are essential for continuous operations.
Contrary to fears that halting raw exports may cause job losses, enforcing local processing before export leads to more jobs across the entire value chain, from processing and logistics to packaging, quality control, and export services.
Moreover, downstream industries such as rubber-based manufacturing gain momentum, accelerating inclusive economic growth.
Stopping raw exports is not a loss; it is a necessary lever for job creation, expansion, and long-term national prosperity.
Exports threaten over 1,300 direct jobs and more than 70,000 indirect livelihoods across Ghana’s rubber sector. The Rubber Outgrower Plantation Project (ROPP), which supports over 11,800 farmers cultivating 55,599 hectares, is facing serious disruption as
illegal buyers lure farmers away from formal processing channels. This not only undermines the sustainability of the plantations, but also jeopardizes critical repayment structures tied to long-term financing.
The situation is particularly alarming for the recovery of over Four Hundred and Fifty Million Ghana Cedis (GHS 450,000,000.00) in credit financing extended to the sector.
If left unchecked, this will render the current financing model unviable, closing the door to future funding and threatening the very foundation of rubber plantation development in
Ghana, an industry that has largely relied on these financing schemes to thrive.
Regulatory Evasion and Market Distortion
Although the TCDA introduced a permit system in April 2025 to control exports, smugglers reportedly bypass the rules, destabilizing the market. This breach directly violates Act 1010
and the Tree Crops Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2471) and impairs Ghana’s ambition to develop a globally competitive, value-added rubber industry.
Call for Immediate Action
RUPAG is appealing to the Ghana Police Service, National Security, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, National Investigations Bureau (NIB), and the Economic and
Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to:
• Strengthen surveillance at all export points
• Intercept illicit shipments
• Prosecute offenders in accordance with the law
Furthermore, RUPAG urges government and industry stakeholders to deepen public-private partnerships to protect agribusiness investments, boost domestic processing, and ensure the
rubber sector drives Ghana’s economic transformation under the 24-hour economy vision.
