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Bigger cocoa harvest this year
derailed by smuggling - COCOBOD
Accra, July 22, Ghanadot/GNA - Ghana's hopes for a bigger
cocoa harvest in the current 2007/08 crop year is being
derailed by "serious" smuggling of the
beans abroad, Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) said on Tuesday.
Mr. Isaac Osei, COCOBOD Chief Executive, said traders,
mainly from Cote d’Ivoire were paying higher prices in a
desperate bid for Ghana's cocoa beans with which they mixed
their stock for export.
"It is very serious…I can say for now that we are denied
that opportunity of announcing a record harvest this year as
a result of the smuggling," Mr Osei told the Ghana News
Agency.
He did not give details of how much cocoa was being smuggled
with the explanation that it would take some time to assess
the situation.
COCOBOD originally projected a harvest of 650,000 tonnes for
the full October-September crop year, including a light crop
of 50,000 tonnes, however, hopes for a bigger harvest have
risen in recent months and industry watchers now predict a
final season output of more than 700,000 tonnes.
The main crop harvest which closed June 5, reached 663,558
tonnes, up by 12 percent on-year. However, purchases for the
light crop which began June 27 were 10 per cent lower at
4,646 in the first, compared to the same period last year.
Mr. Osei said COCOBOD was seeking amendments to the current
legislation that would see smugglers sent to prison and not
just fined. "We think as it is now the law is not deterrent
enough."
In the meantime COCOBOD was collaborating with the security
agencies for effective patrolling of the borders, he said,
adding that there were suspicions of some security personnel
conniving with the smugglers.
He said government was monitoring developments and if need
be, would take the appropriate decision to address the issue
of price differentials at the beginning of the next crop
year in October.
"We always want to do the right things...first and foremost
to give good remuneration to our farmers, depending on the
market trend, and also make sure we protect the integrity of
our beans."
In February this year, the government increased the producer
price for cocoa by more than 25 per cent in an effort to
stop smuggling of the beans into Cote d’Ivoire and Togo.
Ghana has set itself an ambitious target to harvest at least
one million tonnes of cocoa a year by 2010, mainly through
increased use of fertiliser and adoption of high yielding
seeds, combined with improved farming methods.
GNA
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