Ghana is reportedly expecting a significant decrease in their Cocoa production when compared to the previous season. The 2021/22 Cocoa output is expected to be down by a minimum of 31%, as a result of ‘catastrophic’ growing conditions. It has not been an easy year for the West African Cocoa farmers, with the pandemic introducing …
31% PRODUCTION DROP EXPECTED IN GHANA AFTER “CATASTROPHIC” CONDITIONS Read More »
The Cocoa farms of Ghana’s Western North Region have been the subject of rehabilitation under the National Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme (NCRP). These regions have been affected by the swollen shoot disease, which has had devastating effects on the country’s prime crop. Approximately 11% of Cocoa farms in the region, 51,537 hectares out of 487,386, have …
COCOA REHAB IN GHANA DELIVERING RESULTS SAYS COCOBOD Read More »
When it comes to talking about Cocoa, a lot of focus goes into the processes behind chocolate production – from growing and fermentation to roasting and processing. Still, one key element rarely makes it into the discussion: pollination of the Cocoa trees. With Cocoa being such an important global commodity, it may seem surprising that …
Ghana’s Cocoa regulator (COCOBOD) has responded to concerns about fertiliser shortages as a result of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Russia is the world’s leading provider of ingredients like nitrogen potassium and phosphorus, which are used in the production of fertilisers. The sanctions imposed upon them by the West have understandably raised concerns …
A story on Ghanaweb caught my attention. They reported that in light of the shortage of inorganic fertilizers across the world, COCOBOD’s Executive Director, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, warned that Ghanaian Cocoa farmers should expect severe shortages. There is no way those materials will come. So we must all brace ourselves that come next year, …
IS CHICKEN MANURE A REAL ALTERNATIVE AS COCOBOD SUGGESTS? Read More »
In most cocoa-growing regions of Côte D’Ivoire, heavy rains last week revived hopes of a good mid-crop after a long dry spell. The dry season which runs from November until March is now coming to an end, but despite starting with a good level of precipitation, the following months were especially dry, causing concern among …
CÔTE D’IVORE RELIEVED AFTER EXCEPTIONAL RAIN ENDS DRY SEASON Read More »
Using blockchain technology to support a transparent supply chain is not new, but Koa is taking it to the next step, by adding payment transparency into the service. Koa is a Swiss-Ghanaian startup focused on products around the Cocoa fruit, capitalising on the waste and turning it into products they can sell to industry. They …
KOA MAKES FARMER PAYMENTS TRANSPARENT WITH BLOCKCHAIN Read More »
A Ghanaian MP has accused the Ghana Cocoa regulator, COCOBOD, of being unable to fully account for a $1.3 billion syndicated loan signed in 2019. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Member of Parliament for Juaboso, has questioned the whereabouts of the funds, saying that COCOBOD failed to provide any substantiation of its spending. The money was secured …
COCOBOD IN ARGUMENT OVER $1.3B LOAN DISBURSEMENT Read More »
Approximately 20 – 40 percent of cacao beans are lost due to disease. USDA warns in a new article that this could one day lead to insufficient supply to meet the world’s demand. We’re not sure we’d go that far, as we know from basic economic theory, as supply tightens, prices go up. When prices …
USDA REPORT ON WORK BY ARS ON CACAO DISEASE MITIGATION Read More »
The Ukraine war has led to restrictions on exports of fertiliser which is set to drive up costs for both Cocoa and Coffee farmers. Given the Russian invasion, Ukraine, a major producer of agricultural products, has banned exports of fertilisers. The cabinet of ministers is introducing a zero quota for the export of mineral fertilisers, …
FERTILISER COSTS SET TO INCREASE OVER WAR IN UKRAINE Read More »
The European Commission released its proposal for a corporate sustainability due-diligence Directive, on 23 February 2022. The EC’s proposal details plans for holding businesses accountable, for environmental harm and human rights abuse throughout their entire supply chain. It puts forward that any cocoa or chocolate company, regardless of size, must comply with the due diligence …
CHOCOLATE COMPANIES COALITION WELCOMES EU LEGISLATION Read More »
The Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) of Cote d’Ivoire has announced it will test a new traceability system in the country, starting in April 2022. Yves Brahima Kone, head of the CCC, identified three main objectives for the new system; to control the origins and the entire circuit of beans, fight against deforestation and pay …
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