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Ghana Cocoa Board has dismissed allegations that its officials are involved in private cocoa purchasing, insisting that cocoa buying in Ghana is conducted strictly through licensed buying companies.
The concerns were raised by the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association, which warned that such practices, if true, could undermine confidence in the cocoa sector, distort competition, and worsen financial pressures within the industry.
However, speaking after the announcement of the 2027 World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting, COCOBOD Chief Executive Officer Randy Abbey rejected the claims as false and misleading.
He explained that COCOBOD officials do not directly purchase cocoa, adding that the Board only licenses private buying companies that operate through agents in cocoa-growing communities across the country.
According to him, all cocoa purchases are carried out by agents of these licensed companies, who buy cocoa on behalf of COCOBOD, not individual officials.
Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem also commented on the upcoming global cocoa conference, saying it will provide a platform to discuss fairer and more sustainable pricing models to improve farmers’ livelihoods.
He noted that although cocoa supports a global chocolate industry worth over $100 billion, many farmers still earn low incomes and face significant economic challenges.
The 2027 World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting will be held in Accra from March 17 to 18, 2027, under the theme “From Origin to Resilience,” bringing together global stakeholders to discuss the future of cocoa sustainability, trade, and farmer welfare.
Authorities say hosting the conference will strengthen Ghana’s role in global cocoa policy discussions while highlighting ongoing efforts to improve productivity and value addition in the sector.
Source: citinews
