The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced September 1 as the start date for purchasing cocoa for the 2024/2024 main crop season.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Joseph Boahen Aidoo disclosed this at a media briefing on Tuesday.
‘’We are still putting measures in place and if things go well, we start the season on 1st September” he said.
Even though he did not disclose a new price for cocoa, he said his outfit will always give the farmers the best.
Mr Aidoo emphasized that while global buyers largely determine cocoa prices, the Board is exploring ways to mitigate the impact of external pricing pressures.
According to him, COCOBOD initially set a target of 800,000 tonnes, however, adverse weather conditions, including droughts in the Bono and Sefwi regions, have severely impacted cocoa production by damaging the cocoa flowers.
The COCOBOD CEO stated that this has compelled them to reduce their initial target of 800,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes.
Mr Aidoo also denied some recent media publications that, Ghana cocoa industry is on the verge of collapse.
‘’ However, we take a serious exception to allegations that the sector will collapse in five years. This is an exaggeration and does not reflect the facts on the ground,” he said.
The CEO further explained that, they have implemented various initiatives to address the challenge about pests and diseases, including the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme which is aimed to replant diseased and unproductive cocoa trees.
“Currently, more than 40,000 hectares of cocoa farms across the country have been successfully rehabilitated and ready to be officially handed over to beneficiary farmers. Tens of thousands of farms are also at various stages of the rehabilitation process. These farms are expected to add more than 200,000 tonnes to the nation’s annual production output in the next few years’’.
Mr. Aidoo added that COCOBOD is actively engaged in international partnerships that promote the sustainability of the cocoa industry.
Through collaborations with global organizations and chocolate manufacturers, we are advancing programmes that focus on responsible cocoa production, fair trade, environmental conservation and payment of remunerative farm-gate prices to farmers.
‘’ The Cote d’ Ivoire Ghana Cocoa Initiative is coordinating efforts aimed at putting measures in place to ensure permanently ensure improved and sustained livelihoods for cocoa farmers in the two countries.
‘’While recognizing that there is still more work to be done, we wish to assure our stakeholders of our commitment to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the cocoa sector. We urge stakeholders to support our efforts and work together to address the challenges facing the sector,” he concluded.
Source: Kwame Kulenu