Dried shelled legumes market in Ghana

Earlier Report Observations

The market for dried shelled legumes in Ghana expanded from 889 thousand metric tons in 2018 to a peak of 1 029 thousand metric tons in 2022, before a modest contraction to 1 004 thousand metric tons in 2023. This overall growth was underpinned by sustained government investment in agriculture, notably through the Ghana Agricultural Investment Plan (GhAIP) which since 2018 has prioritized legume production, and the later Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) 2.0 initiative that improved farmers' access to inputs and credit.

A significant boost to demand occurred in 2021 with the launch of Ghana's first national Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, which explicitly recommended daily consumption of legumes. This coincided with a revision of the Food and Drugs Law, bringing all food products under stricter regulation and likely encouraging market formalization. While the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains in 2020, continued state promotion of sustainable agriculture and technology adoption helped maintain production momentum during this period.

The market's growth trajectory faced headwinds from climatic challenges and structural inefficiencies. Climate-related production risks, noted from 2022 onward, combined with persistent post-harvest losses, contributed to the slight market dip in 2023. Ongoing efforts like the PFJ 2.0 program and projects supporting vegetable value chains aim to address these productivity constraints, even as consumer interest in healthy, locally-sourced foods provides a stable demand base.

Production dried shelled legumes in Ghana

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

Top producers of dried shelled legumes, 2017-2020

World map of production of dried shelled legumes, 2017-2020

Ghana's production of dried shelled legumes has grown for the third year in a row. In 2020, the country produced 904.5 thousand tonnes, marking a 2.1% increase from the previous year. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, production rose by 11%, with an average annual growth rate of 3.5%.

Annual dynamics of production in Ghana in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Exports dried shelled legumes from Ghana

Exports in kind, t

Ghana's exports of dried shelled legumes have increased for the third consecutive year. In 2020, the country exported 729 tonnes, which represents a dramatic surge of 182.4% compared to 2019. Between 2017 and 2020, exports grew by 999.6%, translating to an annualized rate of 122.4%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Ghana in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the United States were the primary markets for Ghana's dried shelled legume exports in volume terms. The United Kingdom accounted for 67.6% of exports, Spain for 8.2%, and the United States for 7.7%, together making up 83.5% of total export flows.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Ghana in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The data shows irregular fluctuations, indicating a volatile market environment. Exports varied significantly, with a 31-fold difference between the low in 2017 and the high in 2020. In 2020, Ghana exported 814 thousand US dollars worth of dried shelled legumes, a sharp increase of 785.1% from the previous year. The largest decline occurred in 2019, at 23.9%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Ghana in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, three key markets—the United Kingdom, the United States, and Spain—collectively absorbed 79.4% of the total value of dried shelled legume exports from Ghana.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Ghana in value, 2017-2020

Imports dried shelled legumes to Ghana

Imports in kind, t

Ghana's imports of dried shelled legumes have declined for the second year in a row. In 2020, imports totaled 3 394 tonnes, a sudden drop of 55.8% compared to the previous year. From 2017 to 2020, imports decreased by 67.3%, with an annualized rate of decline of 31.1%. The highest import volume was recorded in 2018 at 10 573 tonnes, while the largest increase occurred in 2018 at 1.7%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Ghana in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Ghana's imports of dried shelled legumes in volume terms were primarily directed towards Niger and Burkina Faso. Together, these two countries accounted for 86.9% of total import flows, with other destinations playing a minor role.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Ghana in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

In 2020, Ghana's imports of dried shelled legumes amounted to 1 986 thousand US dollars, an increase of 61.0% from the previous year. Between 2017 and 2020, imports rose by 22.3%, with an average annual growth rate of 6.9%. The lowest import value was recorded in 2019 at 1 234 thousand US dollars, and the largest decline occurred in 2019 at 30.0%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Ghana in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, Ghana's imports of dried shelled legumes in value terms were largely focused on Niger and Burkina Faso. These two countries together represented 82.5% of total import flows, with other destinations contributing minimally.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Ghana in value, 2017-2020