The Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Dr Randy Abbey, says the Board’s current challenge is not smuggling but uncompetitive pricing that has left cocoa beans unsold.
Speaking on Newsfile on Joy FM, Dr Abbey acknowledged that Ghana’s cocoa is struggling to compete on the international market.
“Now, we are where we are because our bean is not competitive, the price of our bean as compared to other origins. Our beans are more expensive,” he stated.
His comments mark a notable shift from last year, when cross border smuggling dominated discussions within the sector. According to him, the situation at the time was severe enough to trigger high level interventions.
“Last year, we had massive smuggling. Almost daily, we had arrest reports of smuggling to the extent that we even had national security meetings on smuggling,” he said.
The contrast, he explained, highlights how market dynamics have changed within a year. While 2024 was defined by efforts to curb illegal exports, the current concern is Ghana’s pricing structure and its impact on demand.
Dr Abbey’s remarks come as COCOBOD works to stabilise the sector amid ongoing financial and operational pressures.
