Business News of Wednesday, 20 September 2023

Source: peacefmonline.com

COCOBOD introduces 'Traceability System' for cocoa farmers to meet international policy

CEO of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo play videoCEO of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo

Ghana has implemented a traceability system for cocoa farmers to help them export their cocoa beans abroad without restrictions.

According to Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana COCOBOD, this system will ensure the farmers meet international regulations.

He noted that effective December 31, 2024, no cocoa farmer will be allowed to transport cocoa to any European port if the cocoa cannot be traced, hence the traceability system of Ghana, established under his leadership, exempts Ghanaian cocoa farmers.

"If you are exporting cocoa to any European port and they are not able to trace it, you will be disallowed but this system that we have built makes every cocoa from Ghana permissible to enter European port because it's traceable", he told Kwam Sefa Kayi in an interview on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show.

The COCOBOD boss also indicated that a Cocoa Management System (CMS) has also been implemented to organize the database of cocoa farmers in the country and currently over 700,000 cocoa farmers have been captured on the system.

Another measure, he highlighted, in enhancing the cocoa sector is digitalization.

"We have a digital address system for every farm in Ghana. So, my farm for instance, if I want you to go there, I'll just give you the coordinates and you will drive straight to the farm," he recounted.