Ghana’s minor crop cocoa production this year has been forecast to fall by half and range between 120,000 and 130,000 tonnes, as compared to the level of about 250,000 tonnes attained last season.
Information available to Goldstreet Business from the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) indicates that, considering the reduction in production, processors will have to source cocoa beans from neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire in order to cater for the increase in the country’s processing activities.
Data published by COCOBOD in June 2019 showed that cocoa bean sales for the 2018/19 crop year were estimated at 842,835 tonnes. Over the same period, cocoa processors had grindings of 180,065 tonnes, up by 6 percent from the 169,522 tonnes of cocoa beans processed the same period last year.
Production in Côte d’Ivoire
As at 30 June 2019, cumulative cocoa arrivals at Ivorian ports, since the current season started, reached 2.061 million tonnes, up by 10 percent from the 1.869 million tonnes reached during the same period in the previous season.
Also, the Ivorian minor crop production is expected to hit 600,000 tonnes, which, if realized, will be another record.
In the statement from ICCO, between the start of the minor crop on 1 April and 30 June 2019, cocoa beans at Ivorian ports amounted to 459,000 tonnes, up from the 391,000 tonnes recorded during the same period last year.
Cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire continues to top the all-time record, while the 2018/19 cocoa year is drawing to a close.
2019/2020 Crop Season
In Ghana, COCOBOD is forecasting a production target of 950,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans for the 2019/2020 crop season.
According to COCOBOD, the increased forecast is based on some measures that they have implemented over the years and some good agronomic practices being adopted over the years.
