Chocolate was in short supply yesterday the first National Chocolate Day celebration instituted by the government and intended to promote local consumption of the product.

The day was chosen to coincide with St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, and was to be the major gift item for loved ones.

Dealers in the product expressed disappointment at the shortage of the product and wondered why so much publicity had been made about it but no adequate measures put in place to ensure that there was large supply.

At the Shivsai Supermarket at Kaneshie, Accra, the manager of the shop, Saj Niduri, said chocolate was in short supply in the shop.

He said the Golden Tree chocolate, which is the local chocolate, was in short supply, compelling them stock imported products.

He said the local product is "fantastic" and called on government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure adequate supply of the product.

Another seller at Kokomlemle, Ms Esther Boasiako complained bitterly about the shortage. She said it has seriously affected her sales as most people wanted to buy parcels containing local chocolate.

When the Times contacted the Public Relations Manager of Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), Mr. Ekwow Rhule, he said that the shortage was rather unfortunate because the company had increased production four times this month.

He said as at yesterday, people were still trooping to the CPC to collect their order.

He acknowledge that the demand for chocolate had increased and people were now consuming so much that the company had to re-strategise for the ensuing years so that there will not be any shortage as reported yesterday.

Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, commenting on the shortage said he was impressed about the high patronage from the public since the National Chocolate Day was launched on January 9.

A group of chocolate producers who were interviewed on the shortage of chocolate on the market, said 50 tonnes of chocolate is produced every month and for the occasion, 150 tonnes was produced. They said the shortage only meant that demand was high.

This was confirmed by the Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations.

The Valentine Day celebration itself, seemed to be quite low-key, as the usual excitement even during day time was virtually absent.

Sales of other Valentine souvenirs was also in low patronage at some shops that the Times visited

At the Vans Ventures in Accra Central the situation was the same. The salesman, Kojo Antwi complained that sales of Valentine souvenirs was very low

He said he stocked a large of quantity of Valentine wear in anticipation of high purchase but sales had been very disappointing.

"It is because the publicity for this year was not that intensive so a lot of people did not take this year’s event seriously," he noted.

A student of the Accra Polytechnic, Emmanuel Abotsi, who was spotted dressed all in red, the traditional Valentine colour, said he had regretted dressing that way.

"This was how I was dressed in 2002 and 2003 and no one talked, but today my friends are teasing me and I look very odd among them," he said.

Another student of the Polytechnic, Gifty Anarfi told the Times that she did not want to get involved in such "unnecessary fantasies" because she said they will not in any way enhance her love life.

Kingsley Hope reports from Kumasi, that there was a shortage of the Golden Tree chocolate at various supermarkets and gift shops in the metropolis.

reports from Kumasi, that there was a shortage of the Golden Tree chocolate at various supermarkets and gift shops in the metropolis. Some owners of shops visited expressed irritation at the shortage stressing that they rather have the foreign chocolates in abundance.

They said that it was better if the Cocoa Processing Company had taken advantage of the Val’s day to produce in abundance and urged them to do that in view of the Jubilee celebration.

Times gathered that the shortage had persisted for about two months.

gathered that the shortage had persisted for about two months. Contrary to the expectation that school children would be head over heels in love with the celebration and flock the shops and streets of Adum, the hub of commerce in the metropolis, to purchase Valentine items, the shops, streets were virtually empty.

The situation was quite different among the radio stations. Though some radio stations did some talks, it was not as it used to be in the early days.

Ms Rosemary Mensah, a student told the Times, here in an interview that "this year’s Valentine is very shocking as students in general are not showing much interest."

The Times, visits to some shops filled with Valentine stocks revealed that there had been no serious patronage. Ms Anna Amankwa, a sales girl at Pat’s Enterprise in Adum, said "sales are not good at all, and that was also buttressed by Esther Simpe of Lady M’s Touch of class.

There was shortage of chocolates in Cape Coast David Yarboi-Tetteh reports.

A visit to some shops in the municipality about 3 pm witnessed a shortage of the commodity as most people particularly students brought the products for their loved ones early in the morning.

The University of Cape Coast campus witnessed a high rise in chocolate consumption as students who could not get the product on campus rushed to town to get it in addition with the purchase of hampers.

A sales girl on the Kingsway Road, told the Times that a few chocolates numbering about 20 she brought to the shop got finished around 11 a.m.

The demand, she said, was high as people thronged to the shop in a bid to buy chocolate.

I hope that Ghanaians continue to buy chocolate on a daily basis to promote the consumption of made in Ghana goods, she said.