The Association of Natural Rubber Actors of Ghana (ANRAG) has rejected claims questioning its legitimacy, pricing influence and role in Ghana’s rubber industry, while raising concerns about export valuation practices linked to the ongoing export of raw rubber.
In a press statement issued this week, ANRAG described allegations by the Rubber Farmers Association of Ghana (RUFAG) and the Western Rubber Farmers Association (WRUFA) as misleading and unsupported by available data.
ANRAG said it is a legally constituted, non-profit industry association established under the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992), and was formally inaugurated by the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) on August 15, 2024.
“Any claims that ANRAG is an illegitimate or self-appointed body are factually incorrect,” the Association stated, explaining that it does not regulate the sector but serves as an umbrella body bringing together farmers, processors, traders and aggregators to promote orderly market conduct and value addition.
ANRAG dismissed claims that farmers would suffer if raw rubber exports were restricted, citing 2025 pricing data.
According to the Association, the TCDA minimum producer price averaged GH¢8.52 per kilogram in 2025, while actual prices paid by processors, traders and aggregators were consistently higher.
“This shows that farmers are being paid fair prices and do not depend on exports to secure income,” ANRAG said.
The Association also rejected allegations that Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) monopolises the industry, noting that Ghana has seven licensed rubber-processing factories and numerous licensed traders and aggregators.
“A market with several competing buyers cannot be described as a monopoly,” the statement stressed.
Exports, Valuation and Lost Value Addition
ANRAG said its main concern is export valuation and lost value addition.
Export data for 10 months of 2025 (January–September and December) show that about 39,000 metric tonnes (dry) of raw rubber were exported under 195 export declarations.
Declared customs records put the Free on Board (FOB) value at USD 4.48 million. However, ANRAG’s preliminary analysis, benchmarked against reference prices, suggests an indicative value of USD 26.03 million, indicating a potential FOB valuation gap of USD 21.55 million.
Beyond valuation, the Association said that exporting raw rubber has resulted in a significant loss of domestic value addition. Based on prevailing international prices for processed rubber, ANRAG estimates that processing the same volumes locally could have generated about USD 75.79 million in export revenue.
“This implies an estimated foregone foreign-exchange and value-addition opportunity of about USD 71.17 million,” the statement noted, citing lost industrial activity, jobs, and tax revenue.
A summary table on 2025 raw rubber exports, FOB under-declaration and value-addition losses was provided by ANRAG to support the analysis.
ANRAG also referred to Regulation 50 of the Tree Crops Development Authority Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2471), which requires the TCDA, in consultation with the relevant value-chain committee, to determine the portion of a tree crop to be reserved for sale to local processors before export permits are issued.
According to the Association, it is not aware that the mandatory consultation with the Rubber Value Chain Committee of the TCDA Board took place before the issuance of export permits.
Financing at Risk
The Association warned that continued raw rubber exports are undermining long-standing credit arrangements in the sector.
ANRAG said that tripartite financing schemes involving farmer groups, processors such as GREL and Rubber Processing Ghana Limited (RPGL), and banks including the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and the National Investment Bank (NIB) have supported over 9,200 farmers, covering more than 32,000 hectares, with total loans of about €61.8 million.
According to ANRAG, reduced domestic processing volumes have weakened cash flows and put these loans at risk of non-repayment.
Farmers Not Resisting Restrictions
ANRAG rejected claims that farmers are opposing export restrictions, stating that farmers enjoy guaranteed market access and receive prices above statutory minimums.
“The suggestion that farmers are resisting export controls is not supported by the pricing evidence,” the Association said.
Support for TCDA, Call for Unity
The Association emphasised that it supports TCDA’s regulatory mandate and has worked closely with the Authority since 2024 to register value-chain actors, sensitise traders and aggregators, and promote compliance.
ANRAG called for unity across the rubber value chain, stressing that coordinated action on pricing, exports, financing and value addition is key to the industry’s long-term sustainability.
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The post ANRAG Rejects Legitimacy & Monopoly Claims, Flags Forex Risks In Raw Rubber Exports appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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