African Cocoa Market, July 10, SIXSCRIBES – The Ghana COCOBOD has come together with the cocoa directorates in Ivory Coast to approach concerned entities to see to the rise in the value of cocoa beans in order to help local farmers with satisfying living conditions.
Despite the fact that both Ghana and Ivory Coast produce cocoa beans of prime quality, their prices in the world market do not leverage the virtue of the commodity.
In Accra, the Chief Executive of Ghana COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, addressing cocoa beans buyers from Europe said both cocoa producing countries have the strong desire to fight for farmers to benefit from the work they do – that, reducing premium prices will force farmers to reduce the quality of cocoa beans.
Again, buyers and other partners should recognize farmers as important elements in the cocoa business.
He said,
“We believe that we have a peculiar quality in Ghana and Ivory Coast so that over the years, industry has paid premium for that. Now the premium is being discounted and it is very disheartening to see premium being discounted. What it means is that once premiums are discounted then industry is telling us to inform our farmers to also discount the quality of the cocoa, but I don’t think that is what the consumer wants”.
Mr. Aidoo expressed his disappointment in the poor living conditions of farmers from Ghana and Ivory Coast who produce such a premium cocoa to the world’s consumption. Meanwhile, he emphasized on the need for the full implementation of the Living Income Differential of 400 dollars per tonne to cocoa farmers.
