Gov’t, Alibaba discuss e-market of cocoa products

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has started a discussion with the management of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd for the latter to possibly promote the sale of Ghanaian cocoa on the Chinese market.

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who initiated the discussion with the Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group, Mr Jack Ma, said when the discussion is finalised the platform which has over 400 million patrons, would showcase Ghana’s cocoa products to all subscribers.

He told the Daily Graphic, this discussion started when he together with President Akufo-Addo and some other delegates travelled to the People’s Republic of China.

Dr Akoto said the company had agreed in principle to accept Ghana’s cocoa products on its online marketplace.

He added that Mr Ma would make a follow-up visit to Ghana next month to explore business opportunities and firm up with the ministry on the discussion for the use of the online platform to sell Ghana’s cocoa products.

Dr Akoto said this is a “huge opportunity to showcase cocoa products to the over one billion Chinese.”

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When the deal is finalised, the company will open its doors to the various range of Ghana cocoa chocolate such as the Aspire (sugar-free chocolate), Portem Nut (milk chocolate with peanuts) Akuafo Bar (Lemon flavoured milk chocolate), Oranco (Orange flavoured chocolate), Coffee choc (Coffee flavoured milk chocolate) and portem pride (Dark milk chocolate).

Others are the Tetteh Quarshie Bar (Dark chocolate), Kingsbite (Milk chocolate), Vitaco and Alltime (Instant drinking chocolates), Choco delight (chocolate spread), Pebbles (peanut centred dragees) and the Royale (Natural cocoa powder).

Alibaba Group is a Chinese multinational conglomerate specialising in e-commerce online marketplace. Established in 1999, it currently has a market value of $542 billion and over 580 million active monthly users.