COCOBOD intensify effort to protect commodity from illegal trade
GHANA – The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), a government-controlled institution that fixes the buying price for cocoa, has intercepted a truck carrying 1,115 gallons of cocoa beans at the Ave-Havi border in the Volta region near Togo, in collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The operation, which uncovered cocoa beans hidden in containers within the vehicle, is part of ongoing efforts to prevent the illegal export of Ghana’s premium cocoa to neighboring countries, including Togo.
Mr. Charles Amenyaglo, Director of Special Services COCOBOD, said, “This interception is proof that cocoa smuggling remains a serious issue in Ghana. We are intensifying our efforts to track down these illegal operations and protect our farmers and the economy.”
He added that the cocoa was being smuggled for sale in Togo to evade Ghana’s regulated pricing system. The intercepted consignment is now in the custody of COCOBOD and GRA, and further investigations are pending.
The Head of Security reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to protecting Ghana’s cocoa industry from illegal trade, “We remain vigilant and will continue working with security agencies to prevent the smuggling of cocoa, which threatens the livelihoods of our hardworking farmers and the economy as a whole.”
This operation comes shortly after COCOBOD’s CEO, Dr. Ransford Anertey Abbey, acknowledged the cocoa industry’s challenges, including declining production, ageing farms and smuggling.
He revealed that the board was intensifying efforts to rehabilitate ageing and diseased farms to boost productivity.
Regarding cocoa smuggling, which has plagued the industry recently, he disclosed that COCOBOD is collaborating with the National Security apparatus to tackle the problem.
“We’ve had a series of meetings, and the National Security team has prioritized this issue,” he stated. A strategy is being crafted to address smuggling, exacerbated by price disparities between Ghana and neighbouring countries.
COCOBOD, Brazil deal
Meanwhile, COCOBOD signed a declaration of intent to cooperate with Apexbrasil and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
The signing occurred during a high-level meeting at Cocoa House in Accra, part of the Brazilian Presidential Mission to Africa.
The discussions focused on leveraging Brazilian technology to improve cocoa productivity, exchanging best practices in disease management, and fostering research collaboration between Brazil’s cocoa sector and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG).
The visit further explored areas of scientific cooperation, including joint research on cocoa flavour analysis and strategies for managing cocoa diseases such as Witches’ Broom in Brazil and Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) in Ghana.
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