Gov’t, UAE sign deal to promote Ghana’s cocoa

The government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Food and Beverage Manufacturers Group to promote Ghana’s cocoa in the Emirati market.

The agreement was signed during the recently held Gulfood 2022 exhibition in Dubai, and laid the foundation for investment through cocoa contract farming or chocolate production.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Mr Yofi Grant, made this known when he delivered a keynote address at the maiden edition of the Chocolatarium-The Business of Chocolate.

According to him, three Emirati companies are already in Ghana to prospect for either the acquisition of old factories or the setting up of new factories for chocolate manufacturing.

Mr Grant therefore underscored the need for local investment into value addition of cocoa as a mainstream economic event that would help indigenous chocolate manufacturers improve their capacity to meet high demands of the product.

More earnings

Taking his turn, a Deputy Minister of Finance, John Kumah, said the current earnings of around US$2 billion from cocoa production is not enough, hence the decision of government to put in place measures to install processing capacity.

“The current national installed cocoa processing capacity is around 544,000 tonnes indicating under-utilisation of some factories. If you add what our artisanal producers are also doing, then the need for strategic focus becomes clearer,” he said.

Mr Kumah, therefore, indicated that the government is ready to partner local cocoa producers to improve their capacity to compete and add value to the commodity under the three and half years Ghana Cares programme.

He said the government has an agenda of increasing local consumption of cocoa by modernising production system through the cocoa productivity enhancement programme, which contributed to the country setting a production record of 1.033 million tonnes of beans for the 2020/2021 season.

“I am confident that interventions, including rehabilitation of cocoa farms, merchanised pruning, fertiliser subsidies, hand spraying, artificial hand pollination, irrigation and distribution of cocoa seeds and continuous farmer education on good agronomic practices will continue to yield results,” the Deputy Minister said.

“Any attempt to boost local production cannot be done without the involvement of the hospitality and tourism sector,” he added.

The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, in a speech read for her, said that the processing of cocoa and its derivate remains a priority in the National Export Development strategy.

“We are optimistic that our concerted effort will be of immense benefit to our country and most, especially create opportunity to upscale chances of our youth and women,” she said.