Ghana expects 2024/25 cocoa production resurgence

Ghana’s cocoa production is forecasted to recover in the 2024/25 season, aiming for 650,000 tons, following favorable weather, improved fertilizer and pesticide application, and healthier pod development.

This recovery comes after a significant production drop in the previous season, which saw Ghana’s output at its lowest in over two decades, influenced by illegal gold mining, smuggling, and plant disease.

While farmers remain optimistic, concerns about black pod disease and bean smuggling persist, with Ghana losing over a third of its cocoa output to smuggling last season.

In response, Cocobod raised farmgate prices by nearly 45% and introduced a new funding model requiring upfront payments from global traders, though some worry this approach may reduce funds for purchases and inadvertently promote smuggling.