Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has inaugurated a nine-member reconstituted national committee to promote the local consumption of cocoa.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana COCOBOD, the country has made a remarkable progress culminating in the significant increase in the per capita consumption from 0.5kg in 2017 to 1kg now. However, he stressed that more effort is needed to match local consumption with increased annual production.

“Despite the doubling of our consumption rate over the past six years, our best has not been enough. We cannot be producing so much cocoa and remain low on the league table of consumption of chocolates and cocoa based products and expecting countries elsewhere to consume it for us. That is a moral mistake. Charity, they say, begins at home.

“Whilst pushing forward the agenda of scaling up productivity, there must be a corresponding effort at increasing local value addition to stimulate consumption of cocoa and ultimately better remunerate our hardworking cocoa farmers.”
Joseph Boahen Aidoo

Mr Aidoo noted that the many Productivity Enhancement Programmes being implemented across the cocoa growing areas led to annual production of around 800,000 metric tonnes on average.

Meanwhile, the global chocolate industry, from the bean to the bar, is estimated at between US$130 billion and US$150 billion. However, only between 6 per cent and 6.6 per cent of the projected amount comes to the producers – an indication that the real value of cocoa is in processing and value addition.

Concerted Efforts Towards Pursuing The 50 Per Cent Processing Policy

Mr Aidoo noted that the government and COCOBOD has, over the past 5 years, made concerted efforts towards pursuing the 50 per cent processing policy to ensure that, at least, half of the annual cocoa output is processed locally. He added that the COCOBOD AfCFTA and Cocoa Consumption Committee have been working tirelessly with local processors to ensure that “we smoothly penetrate the African market”, he said.

“The committee will develop a strategy document for the generic promotion of cocoa consumption in the country and come out with programmes and activities that would create and increase national awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of cocoa as well as identify and implement specific programmes, which will sustain a nationwide cocoa consumption drive.”
Joseph Boahen Aidoo

Mr Aidoo, moreover, urged the new members of the Committee to give off their best to help create the necessary awareness about the health and nutritional benefits of cocoa and inculcate the habit of consumption in Ghanaians.

Mr Stephen Boafo, the Chairman of the Committee, said there is the need for a policy change and a strong commitment from the authorities.

“We have seen an indication of that commitment and we will at this point seek the full support and sponsorship for the various initiatives the committee will propose. When the industry improves, the benefits will be for all. it shall create employment, bring in foreign exchange, media houses will get adverts, packaging companies will get businesses, transport and delivery companies will not be left out.”
Mr Stephen Boafo

The Chairman of the Committee pledged on behalf of the committee to deliver on the goals to meet expectations.