Ghana could lose a potential US$170 million export market if the Ghana Standards Authority revises the national shito standard.
Brands consultant Michael Addai Sackeyfio warned that widening the condiment's regulatory definition would dilute its identity and expose local processors to imitation products. The current standard, GS 240:2017, regulates commercial production of the black pepper sauce.
The proposed revision would allow substantially different recipes to be labeled as shito, which could turn the term into a generic label. Sackeyfio argued that authentic Ghanaian shito relies on a specific base of pepper, onion, ginger, edible oil, tomato, and dried fish or shrimp. He wants the name kept for sauces made to an agreed traditional recipe, whether by small processors or factories.
Ghana's shito export market is significant, with estimated exports of US$20.1 million in 2024. Sackeyfio's projections estimate that a protected premium shito brand could expand annual non-traditional export earnings to US$100 million, or up to US$170 million. This would add roughly US$80 million to US$150 million to the current sauce export revenues, benefiting farmers, fisherfolk, and food processors.
The Ghana Standards Authority has not issued a public response to Sackeyfio's appeal on the proposed revision. Sackeyfio also wants a Shito Heritage Fund, paid for from certification fees and part of the export tax take, to support the farming and fishing communities that supply the ingredients. He has also asked the Food and Drugs Authority and Customs to look into unconfirmed reports of imitation shito imports.
Ghana's economy could benefit from a protected shito brand, with potential annual earnings of US$100 million to US$170 million. The country's agricultural sector, which includes farmers and fisherfolk, would also benefit from the increased export earnings. The Ghana Standards Authority's decision on the proposed revision will be crucial in determining the future of Ghana's shito export market.