Local processing of cocoa up by 40% -COCOBOD

Ghana is the second largest cocoa (Theobroma cacao) producer in the world, yet it is one of the countries where chocolate products are less consumed.

To correct this anomaly, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has, since 2005, launched a vigorous campaign to ensure that the local consumption of the product is enhanced.

The agenda was to ensure 50% of the cocoa produced in Ghana is processed into various forms to promote local consumption.

For this to be achieved, October 1st has been set aside by the industry regulator, COCOBOD, to mark “Cocoa Day” to promote the consumption of Theobroma cacao through the organisation of durbars at selected locations each year.

In marking this year’s Cocoa Day, COCOBOD issued a statement which says: “We have not reneged on our pledge to ensure that 50% of the cocoa produced in Ghana is processed into various forms to promote government’s consumption agenda. Three years down the line, after rolling out several campaigns to encourage local processing of cocoa to boost its consumption in Ghana and beyond, we have made positive gains, such that local processing is currently hovering around 40%.”

Since the commencement of the Cocoa Day celebration in 2005, farmers and stakeholders within the industry converge at one place to mark the day with a grand durbar and other activities, with the exception of the year 2014, when there was an outbreak of the Ebola disease, which made it impossible for Cocoa Day to be held as scheduled.

Similarly, 2020 has been another difficult year with the outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, which has brought everything to a standstill globally.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, and his counterpart in La Cote d’Ivoire, Kone Brahima Yves, were honoured by the Ivorian President, Alassane Ouattara, for their exemplary leadership, which led to the realisation of the Living Income Differential (LID), which hopes to increase the producer price of cocoa in their respective countries.

The Board further announced that the government had put on hold plans to launch the Cocoa Farm Pension Scheme.  This decision was arrived at after a wider consultation and due diligence being carried out by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA).

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