Ghanaians panic as China begins exporting cocoa beans

The Asian country is reported to have exported to Belgium its first batch of cocoa beans weighing 500 kg worth about $3,600.

A researcher with the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences said "Cocoa is a raw material for making chocolate. With the increasing demand for chocolates, Hainan has been expanding its cocoa planting area and making breakthroughs in technological development.

"As Belgium is dubbed ‘kingdom of chocolates,’ exports to the country indicate that our cocoa production standards have been recognized by the international community."

The Ghana COCOBOD, however, said China's recent export of cocoa raises some concerns for the future of the sector in Ghana.

But there are concerns about the impact of the price of cocoa beans on the world market if there is no increase in production and consumption.

Some Ghanaians reacted after hearing the news of China exporting cocoa beans.

An industrialist and economist, Tony Oteng-Gyasi, has called for urgent investigations into how China earned a better price for its first consignment of cocoa export than what Ghana received for its premium cocoa beans.

Cocoa Pulse Ghana

A Ghanaian renowned businessman, Sam Jonah expressed worry at a public event said "The Chinese having helped pollute our rivers through illegal mining activities and having, in connivance with some Ghanaians acquired large tracks of farmlands in the cocoa-growing areas have started producing their own cocoa."

On social media, Ghanaians are worried that very soon, China will overtake Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire in cocoa production.

John Dumelo in a Twitter post said "As the second-largest producer of Cocoa, we( Ghana) should be worried China has started producing and exporting Cocoa to Belgium albeit in small quantities. In a couple of years, our "unmatched" Cocoa will be matched by the Chinese."

Saddick Adams also known as Sports Obama is a Ghanaian sports journalist added his voice and said "China starts cocoa export in less than a year and they have a machine that peels cocoa straight from harvesting.

"Ogyakrom has produced cocoa for nearly 150yrs and farmers have to born more children to help peel...The world won't wait for us...More Landcruiser V8. Less thinking."

Below are some concerns Ghanaians expressed on social media.