Olam Ghana upbeat of country’s cocoa production prospects
Ghana has the potential to catch up with Ivory Coast in cocoa production by 2015 if present interventions and support for farmers are sustained.
This is according to Eric Asare Botwe of Olam Ghana, the third largest Licensed Buying Company in the internal cocoa marketing.
He told Luv Biz Report the benefit of guaranteed prices for farmers and application of the high-tech fertilizers and other technologies should propel the country to scale-up production.
“Can you imagine that doing three years of high-tech, we’re already in one million [metric tonnes], if we do it like Cote D’Ivoire has been doing for so many years, I think that the sky will be the limit. I believe that if we sustain all the practices and the support that is being given to the farmer, Ghana should be catching up with Cote D’Ivoire”, he observed.
Ghana hit the million metric tonne target two years ahead of the 2013 scheduled date. The country is second to the Ivory Coast as the world’s leading cocoa producer.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) targets to purchase 800,000 metric tonnes of cocoa in the 2011/2012 crop season. About 520 tonnes have already been achieved and the LBC’s are confident of sailing over the one million metric tonnes when the season closes in June.
“Once the farmer gets enough returns on his investments, I think we’ll continue to grow production,” said Mr. Botwe.
He however noted that certification of cocoa beans should be the country’s focus, though Ghana’s premium quality cocoa is a strong brand and hot cake for chocolate producers the world over.
“Certification has come to stay and it is important that you align yourself,” said Mr. Botwe.
Working with 100,000 farmers in Ghana, Olam is looking forward to producing 20,000 tonnes of traceable cocoa beans in Ghana by close of its financial year, under a partnership with Conservation Alliance and Rainforest Alliance.
Farmers under certification schemes stand to benefit most whilst producing to meet international standards.
Olam supports farmers with an annual GHS1 million as loans to enhance their operations, in addition to other schemes like the hi-tech fertilizer applications.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Accra, May 17, 2012
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