Ghana purchases 614,000 tonnes of cocoa in 8 months – Minister reveals

sQuashie 10:52 - 03 July 2015

Mr Cassiel Ato-Forson Deputy Minister of Finance

He stated that although the state budgeted to purchase 950,000 tonnes within the same period, it did not get enough cocoa beans to purchase from farmers, resulting in that low figure.

Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr. Cassiel Ato Forson, on Thursday informed Parliament that the state purchased over 614,000 tonnes of cocoa within a period of eight months, from October 2014 to May 2015.

The minister was subsequently quizzed by some Members of Parliament before being allowed to take his seat.

Cocoa constitutes a large chunk of Ghana’s agricultural exports raking in more revenue for the country over the years.

The country has over the past years targeted to hit the 1,000,000 tonnes threshold therefore successive governments have made various efforts to support Ghanaian cocoa farmers to increase yields through various modern ways of cultivating the cash crop.

Ghana is one of the world’s largest producers of cocoa.