Groundnuts export requirements for Ghana (Domestic)

Under the Plants and Fertilizer Act 2010 (Act 803), PPRSD regulates the export of plants and plant products by issuing phytosanitary certificates based on international standards (ISPMs), and applies marketing quality standards to fresh fruit and vegetables for export. Its services to exporters include inspection, certification, treatment and pest diagnosis.

To export from Ghana, a business must be registered with the Registrar-General's Department, registered as an exporter with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), and hold a Taxpayer Identification Number or Ghana Card PIN. GEPA's procedure includes inspection of premises by the relevant permit-issuing agency and an export consignment certificate for each shipment; the GEPA export certificate is renewable.

Every FDA-regulated product exported from Ghana, such as groundnut paste or oil, food-grade shea butter, cashew kernels, sesame oil or paste, honey, coconut oil, pineapple juice or dried fruit, packaged ginger, dried mango or palm oil, must travel with an approved FDA export permit and a Manufacture and Free Sale Certificate. The application needs a letter of intent, packing list, invoice, the FDA product registration certificate, certificates of analysis and phytosanitary reports where applicable. Permits are valid for one year, and FDA has zero tolerance for exporting unregistered products.

FDA Ghana has declared zero tolerance for the export of unregistered products: each FDA-regulated food you export (for example groundnut paste, food-grade shea butter, cashew kernels, sesame oil, honey, coconut oil, pineapple juice, dried mango or palm oil) must be registered first, and the FDA product registration certificate is part of every export permit application.

Non-traditional exports are declared electronically to GRA Customs, with all relevant certificates and permits attached; goods are inspected and released once Customs is satisfied. Permits from agencies such as FDA Ghana are managed on the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS).