The Cocoa Value Addition Artisans Association of Ghana (COVAAAGH) has commended government for its upcoming visionary and transformative policy initiative aimed at providing cocoa beans to indigenous cocoa value addition and chocolate manufacturing enterprises.
Under this groundbreaking policy, the government is said to facilitate the direct supply of premium Ghana cocoa beans to COVAAAGH members and other indigenous Ghanaian small scale cocoa processing and manufacturing enterprises, empowering them to produce high-quality cocoa-based products for the domestic and export markets.
George Adjei-Bekoe, President of COVAAAGH in a statement said this remarkable step will not only bolster the domestic cocoa value chain but also promote economic growth, job creation, and also increase Ghana’s share of the global cocoa and chocolate industry valued at $130 billion.
COVAAAGH is of the view that the Cocoa Marketing Company’s current 50-metric tonne minimum threshold for the purchase of cocoa beans remains prohibitive to Ghana’s burgeoning artisanal cocoa value addition industry.
In light of the current lack of direct access to cocoa beans, COVAAAGH said local small scale manufacturing enterprises are forced to source semi-finished raw material from the Free Zones cocoa processing companies at exorbitant prices which include import duty, levies and taxes amounting to over 59% of total cost.
Mr Adjei-Bekoe urged the government to expedite the implementation of this strategic move to harness the many potential impacts it portends for the Ghanaian economy.
The Cocoa Value Addition Artisans expressed excitement about the prospects of this policy and looks forward to working closely with the government to ensure its successful implementation.
“We appreciate the Government’s dedication to the development of the cocoa sector and its recognition of the crucial role played by local value addition artisans. “We wish to assure the Government and Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), the sector regulator, of our readiness and commitment to work together with them for the smooth implementation of this transformative policy in order to achieve its intended purpose for the full benefit of the good people of Ghana and the growth of the local cocoa value addition sector,” it added.
