According to a senior official from COCOBOD, Ghana lost over a third of its cocoa output for 2023/24 to smuggling.
The rise in trafficking is driven by low local prices and delayed payments, a situation that is pushing farmers to sell to illicit networks.
This is not just a crisis for Ghana’s cocoa industry, but a human crisis for the farmers who are being forced into these desperate measures.
The impact of this crisis is not limited to Ghana. The global cocoa market is feeling the strain, with prices on the rise due to the supply deficit in West Africa.
Ghana’s cocoa production is just 429,323 metric tons, less than 55% of past averages, further exacerbating the global supply shortage.
Despite smugglers’ evolving tactics, including hiding cocoa in fuel tankers and disguised containers, COCOBOD’s anti-smuggling efforts are intensifying.
This should provide some reassurance, but it’s clear that more needs to be done to protect the livelihoods of Ghana’s cocoa farmers.
