The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has set an ambitious target of producing 800,000 metric tons of cocoa in the 2024/25 season, following a substantial investment of GH¢943 million in 2023. This investment was directed toward rehabilitating aged cocoa farms and those affected by the swollen shoot virus, a disease that has significantly reduced cocoa yields in recent years.
COCOBOD CEO Joseph Boahen Aidoo explained that the investment is part of broader efforts to sustain cocoa production and support the livelihoods of farmers. Despite the challenges posed by the swollen shoot disease, which has devastated large areas of cocoa farmland, COCOBOD remains optimistic that the measures taken will lead to a recovery in production levels.
Aidoo also addressed concerns about COCOBOD’s rising administrative costs, which reached GH¢3.4 billion in 2023. He clarified that the increase was due to the strategic investment in farm rehabilitation, which was funded through a loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB). Without this expenditure, COCOBOD’s administrative costs would have actually decreased last year.
The cocoa regulator has pledged to continue supporting farmers with timely inputs and to implement policies that make cocoa farming more attractive to younger generations, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa industry.