[ 2017-10-02 ]

Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire co-operating to address international cocoa price decline”
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo, says the two largest producers of
cocoa in the world, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire,
have now decided to co-operate in ensuring that
they do not continue to be victims or pawns of a
global cocoa industry that is dependent on the
work of their farmers.

It is for this reason, according to President
Akufo-Addo, that, since his assumption of office
in January 2017, he has worked with President
Alassane Outtara of Cote d’Ivoire, to provide
the necessary leadership for technical and
political co-operation that addresses effectively
the international cocoa price decline in the
short-to-medium term.

“We are fashioning far reaching policies towards
achieving a shared vision of an industrialised and
prosperous domestic cocoa economy. This, I am
sure, will reduce our vulnerability to the
volatility of the markets, and help deliver
prosperity to our farmers and peoples,” the
President added.

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Monday
October 2, 2017, when he delivered a speech at
this year’s World Cocoa Day celebration, at the
Jubilee Park, in Kumasi, an event which coincided
with the 70th anniversary celebration of the
establishment of the Ghana Cocoa Board.

With price volatilities on the international cocoa
market representing, perhaps, the biggest threat
to cocoa producers, President Akufo-Addo bemoaned
the fact that the fortunes of Ghanaian farmers,
unfortunately, have become tied to the volatile
cocoa bean market.

Nonetheless, and in spite of the over 40% drop in
world cocoa prices, President Akufo-Addo stated
that his government will ensure that the price
review for the coming season will not leave
farmers short-changed.

“Indeed, government will make sure that producer
prices paid to Ghanaian cocoa farmers remain
unchanged, and will be in sync with those of
Ivorian farmers,” he said.

Government, the President added, “is also
working on the cocoa pension scheme for cocoa
farmers, the first of its kind in our history.
This will not only benefit cocoa farmers, but all
involved in the cocoa value chain.”

Again, with Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire accounting
for more than 60% of the world’s cocoa output,
and yet earning, together, some $5.75 billion out
of the sale of cocoa beans, President Akufo-Addo
lamented that “the farmers whose toil and sweat
produced 60% plus of the world’s cocoa, earned
5.75% of the global value of their activity”,
which was a little over $100 billion in 2015.

“This cannot, and should not continue. It is
manifest injustice. We have to devise ways of
ensuring that our farmers reap much greater value
from their toil’.

To this end, the President revealed that he has,
amongst other measures, directed the Minister for
Food and Agriculture to direct COCOBOD to work
towards increasing domestic processing of cocoa up
from the current levels to a minimum of 50% of
annual production by 2020. This, he stressed, will
significantly increase export revenues and foreign
exchange earnings from cocoa.

“Processing of cocoa must also go beyond just
grinding of the beans, to tertiary manufacturing
for table consumption. Chocolate and cocoa
products from Ghana should be accessible anywhere
on the globe,” he said.


As part of the 1-District-1-Factory programme,
COCOBOD, and other private sector actors,
according to President Akufo-Addo, will roll-out
programmes that create small-scale cocoa
processing industries across the cocoa-growing
districts of our country.


“The export market, nonetheless, must not be the
sole focus for increasing the processing of our
cocoa. The health benefits of cocoa are enormous.
Ghana produces the best cocoa, which has strong
nutritional value, and it is time that our
consumption increases in our own
backyard,” President said.


With current per-capita consumption of cocoa in
Ghana standing at 0.5 kilogramme, the President
stated that this should increase to one kilogramme
per Ghanaian in the short-to-medium term, and
should begin with inculcating the habit of
consuming cocoa in Ghanaian children.


Through a programme being instituted by the
Ministry of Agriculture through COCOBOD, the
Ministry of Gender and Social Protection through
the School Feeding Programme, and the Ministry of
Education, President Akufo-Addo noted that the
target is to ensure the sustained provision of
cocoa beverages and chocolates to school children,
from primary school up to secondary level.


Also, the Ministry of Tourism, in its programmes
to boost tourism, has also rolled out campaigns to
incorporate the promotion of Ghanaian cocoa
products.
President Akufo-Addo was confident that these
measures will enable the country attain a
significant level of self-reliance, promote
industrialisation and provide adequate cushion
against the adverse effects of price shocks.


“We are an oil producing nation, but I can
assure you that it will not be under my watch that
Ghana will be struck with the ‘Dutch
Disease’.

Despite the growth in importance of oil and gas
in our economy, we will proceed with our plans of
building a world class cocoa industry, which will
be the envy and toast of the world,” he
assured.

Source - ultimatefmonline.com

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