Ghana cocoa sector recorded unprecedented one million tonnes in 2021/2022 crop season – Aidoo

Ghana Cocoa Board CEO, Joseph Boahin Aidoo, highlighted record-breaking cocoa production of 1,045,000 tonnes for the 2021/2022 season, with yields reaching 800 kg per hectare, up from 450 kg in 2017.

He credited government interventions like the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, which helped rejuvenate over 67,000 hectares of cocoa farms affected by the cocoa swollen shoot virus.

The milestone was announced at the Brong-Ahafo Women Co-operative Farmers and Marketing Central Union festival, themed “Growing a gender-equal future.”

COCOBOD’s “zero-borrowing” model under current administration and other practices, like pruning and hand pollination, have further bolstered the industry.

Key challenges like gender inequality, land access for women, and illegal mining remain, with efforts ongoing to empower female farmers and prevent cocoa smuggling.