Ghana's cocoa farms have been affected by the extremes of the weather conditions caused by excessive rains and then excessive dryness, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahene Aidoo, has said.
"It is definitely going to affect production," Mr Aidoo warned.
“But it is only coming to exacerbate an existing systemic problem," he noted.
He added: "Systemic problems had to do with cocoa swollen shoot disease. That is the main driver of the decrease in production of cocoa in Ghana.”
A few weeks ago, it came to light that Ghana planned to import 2,500 tonnes of cocoa beans from Côte d’Ivoire and an additional 1,000 tonnes from Nigeria, according to a letter signed by the COCOBOD CEO.
The letter, dated January 25, 2024, and seen by ClassFMonline.com, was addressed to Afrotropic Cocoa Processing Company Limited.
The approval came as a response to Afrotropic Cocoa Processing Company's request to import cocoa beans from these neighbouring countries, with the delivery expected to be facilitated through the Tema Port.
In the missive, Afrotropic Cocoa Processing Company is instructed to furnish detailed information regarding the impending import, including the name of the vessel, shipment schedule, quantity of beans, and the date/time of arrival, among other particulars.
Mr Boahen Aidoo emphasised in the letter that, "In connection with this approval, you are required to obtain all necessary authorisations from the relevant state institutions, including the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, before commencing the importation."
Credit: GNA
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