The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), and representatives of Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) have convened a strategic workshop to strengthen internal safeguards in cocoa purchasing and protect farmers from malpractice across Ghana’s cocoa supply chain.
The collaborative session highlighted the responsibilities of industry stakeholders in promoting transparency, equity, and fairness while preventing practices that undermine cocoa farmers’ earnings.
Opening the workshop, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations, Dr. James Kutsoati, warned against any practice that directly or indirectly shortchanges cocoa farmers. He emphasised that the workshop was designed to establish joint operational compliance measures that prioritise farmers’ interests at every stage of the purchasing process.
Dr. Kofi Kutsoati highlighted the newly enacted COCOBOD Act 2026, outlining its reforms aimed at protecting cocoa farms and improving the livelihoods of growers.
According to him, a major breakthrough under the Act is the overhaul of cocoa sector financing through a new domestic funding model, moving Ghana away from the syndicated loan facility that had supported the industry for more than three decades but had increasingly become unreliable.
Addressing concerns about cocoa pricing, Dr. Kutsoati explained that farmer payments are determined by factors including the achieved Free-On-Board (FOB) value and the prevailing exchange rate. He noted that the framework mandates that at least 70 per cent of the FOB value be paid directly to the farmer.
“We have moved away from the cost-plus model that somehow shifted operational overhead onto farmers,” he stated.
He added that a stronger achieved FOB price directly translates into better income for cocoa farmers, describing the development as a major gain for the industry.
Dr. Kutsoati urged the GSA to intensify field surveillance and strengthen its collaboration with COCOBOD to identify and penalise individuals who tamper with weighing scales.
He also tasked LBC executives with maintaining strict ethical oversight over their respective Purchasing Clerks (PCs) to eliminate practices that reduce farmers’ incomes.
During a technical presentation, Mr. Frank Okai of the GSA called on LBCs to ensure that every depot is equipped with at least three verified test weights and that the weights are used strictly for their intended purpose.
He cautioned LBCs and their Purchasing Clerks to enforce the use of standardised, certified, and verified weighing scales during cocoa purchases. He stressed the need to ensure that weighing scale configurations cannot be manipulated to shortchange farmers.
Mr. Okai further warned that violations of applicable standards during inspections or monitoring exercises could attract penalties, including the suspension or revocation of licences.
He concluded by urging LBC representatives to pass on the training and its key compliance warnings to their Purchasing Clerks to promote full compliance and cooperation throughout the cocoa purchasing chain.
