SMALLHOLDERS AND NONTRADITIONAL EXPORTS UNDER ECONOMIC LIBERALIZATION: THE CASE OF PINEAPPLES IN GHANA

Abstract

Structural adjustment programs (SAP) and market liberalization policies of the past 20 years in Ghana have transformed the agricultural sector in many ways. One marked example is the increase in production of fresh pineapples for European markets. This paper examines the characteristics of three categories of pineapple producers for export: smallholders, nonresident commercial farmers, and large-scale producer-exporters. The smallholders offered exporters little advantage over large plantations and were marginalized. A donor-supported new export company is also examined and interpreted as an institutional solution to overcome the disadvantages faced by the smallholders.