Cocoa growers have accused certain COCOBOD officials of running private cocoa purchases that erode trust, skew competition and deepen financial strain in the cocoa industry.
The allegations were made by the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association (GNACOFA) during the signing of a strategic partnership deal with the Produce Buying Company (PBC), aimed at backing the revival of the cash-strapped cocoa buyer and boosting farmer welfare.
Speaking for the Association, the GNACOFA President, Stephenson Anane Boateng, cautioned that entrenched problems including cocoa smuggling, illegal mining on farms and late payments to growers still 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 said such conduct harms transparency and creates uneven conditions for legitimate 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 comments come at a tough period for Ghana’s cocoa industry as dropping output, smuggling and liquidity problems continue to squeeze Licensed Buying Companies (LBC) and farmer earnings.
Against this background, GNACOFA said its alliance with PBC was intended to help rebuild trust in the cocoa value chain while positioning
PBC as a stronger and more dependable 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 demanded more transparency and accountability across the cocoa sector, insisting that restoring farmer confidence will require integrity from both regulators and buying companies.
