Cocoa farmers have accused some officials within COCOBOD of engaging in private cocoa buying activities that are undermining confidence, distorting competition and worsening financial pressures within the cocoa sector.
The concerns were raised by the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association (GNACOFA) during the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with the Produce Buying Company (PBC), aimed at supporting the revival of the struggling cocoa purchasing firm and improving farmer welfare.
Speaking on behalf of the Association , President of GNACOFA Stephenson Anane Boateng warned that deep-rooted challenges including cocoa smuggling, illegal mining on cocoa farms and delayed payments to farmers continue to threaten Ghana’s cocoa business.
“There are concerns involving public officials, particularly within COCOBOD, engaging in private buying operations that undermine confidence in the sector,”he stated.
GNACOFA says such practices are damaging transparency and creating unfair conditions for genuine market players and cocoa farmers.
“These issues continue to distort Ghana’s cocoa business, disadvantage genuine cocoa farmers, and create opportunities for financial irregularities,” the group stressed.
The remarks come at a difficult time for Ghana’s cocoa industry as falling production, smuggling and liquidity challenges continueI to strain Licensed Buying Companies and farmer incomes.
Against this backdrop, GNACOFA says its partnership with PBC is designed to help restore trust within the cocoa value chain while repositioning PBC as a stronger and more reliable buyer.
“This partnership marks a significant milestone towards ensuring the sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa business while supporting the revival and restoration of PBC as a strong institution within the cocoa sector,” the Association noted.
GNACOFA further called for greater transparency and accountability across the cocoa sector, insisting that rebuilding farmer confidence will require integrity from both regulators and buying companies.
