Parliament has passed the Excise Bill, 2026, removing excise taxes on locally manufactured fruit juices in a move aimed at making the products more affordable, encouraging healthier consumption and boosting Ghana’s agro-processing sector.

The legislation establishes a legal framework for the imposition and collection of excise duty on selected imported and locally manufactured excisable goods. It also provides for the use of Excise Tax Stamps, which must be affixed to excisable products.

Presenting the Bill in Parliament on Tuesday, July 28, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem said the new law introduces a sliding scale for excise duty on beer and other beverages to encourage manufacturers to source more raw materials locally.

He explained that producers who use a higher proportion of locally sourced inputs would benefit from lower excise duty rates.

“The more raw materials you source locally to produce, the rate of excise duty goes down,” he told Parliament.

Mr Ampem also said the removal of excise taxes on locally produced fruit juices would reduce prices and strengthen the local fruit processing industry.

He noted that companies such as Blue Skies and the Akumfi Juice Factory would benefit from the tax exemption, making their products more competitive while encouraging consumers to choose fruit juices over alcoholic beverages.

According to the government, the tax reforms are expected to increase demand for locally produced fruit juices, strengthen the link between agriculture and manufacturing, and create a stronger market for fruits grown by Ghanaian farmers.

The government also believes the revised excise duty regime will encourage manufacturers to increase their use of locally sourced raw materials by offering tax incentives to producers that rely more heavily on domestic inputs.

The Excise Bill, 2026 forms part of the government’s broader tax reform agenda aimed at supporting local industries, promoting value addition and encouraging healthier consumer choices.