<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Cocoa Archives - Sweet Melodies FM</title> <atom:link href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/tag/cocoa/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/tag/cocoa/</link> <description>Keeping You Sanctified Morning, Noon and Night!</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:56:25 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2</generator> <image> <url>https://i0.wp.com/www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/cropped-Sweet-Melodies-FM_text_favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1</url> <title>Cocoa Archives - Sweet Melodies FM</title> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/tag/cocoa/</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Ghana raises cocoa price above Côte d’Ivoire in new boost for farmers.</title> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/ghana-raises-cocoa-price-above-cote-divoire-in-new-boost-for-farmers/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:52:19 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cote d’Ivoire]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ghana]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/?p=94203</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Ghana has raised its cocoa farmgate price to align with Côte d’Ivoire’s recent increase, marking the second price hike this season to strengthen farmer incomes and address challenges facing the cocoa sector.  Announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the National Farmers’ Day awards, the new price of GH₵49,600 per metric tonne—equivalent to $3,062—brings […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/ghana-raises-cocoa-price-above-cote-divoire-in-new-boost-for-farmers/">Ghana raises cocoa price above Côte d’Ivoire in new boost for farmers.</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p class=""><strong>Ghana has raised its cocoa farmgate price to align with Côte d’Ivoire’s recent increase, marking the second price hike this season to strengthen farmer incomes and address challenges facing the cocoa sector. </strong></p> <p class="">Announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the National Farmers’ Day awards, the new price of GH₵49,600 per metric tonne—equivalent to $3,062—brings Ghana’s rate in line with Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading cocoa producer.</p> <p class="">The latest adjustment lifts the price from GH₵48,000 set in September, and increases the per-bag price from GH₵3,000 to GH₵3,100. “On the advice of the producer price review committee, I am pleased to announce an increase in the producer price of cocoa from GH₵48,000 to GH₵49,600 per tonne,” President Akufo-Addo said, noting the importance of keeping prices competitive with neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire to support farmers and reduce smuggling.</p> <p class=""><a href="https://www.graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/cote-divoire-raises-cocoa-price-above-ghana.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Last month, Côte d’Ivoire raised its farmgate cocoa price by 20 percent, setting it at 1,800 CFA francs ($3.06) per kilogram, or $3,060 per tonne, for the new harvest season beginning on October 1. </a></p> <p class="">This move, which pushed the Ivorian rate slightly above Ghana’s previous price of $3,039 per tonne, had prompted some Ghanaian farmers to withhold their beans in anticipation of a similar increase.</p> <p class="">The president’s announcement addresses concerns over income disparity and cocoa smuggling, which has become a significant issue as farmers sought higher prices across borders. </p> <p class="">Ghana reportedly lost more than a third of its cocoa output in the 2023/24 season due to cross-border smuggling, contributing to a two-decade production low that has helped drive global cocoa prices to record levels.</p> <p class="">In addition to the price increase, President Akufo-Addo directed Cocobod to offer scholarships to children of cocoa farmers pursuing tertiary education. </p> <p class="">This initiative is part of a broader effort to support Ghanaian cocoa farmers, who face challenges from fluctuating market prices, climate impacts, and competition from neighbouring countries with more competitive rates.<gwmw style="display:none;"></gwmw><gwmw style="display:none;"></gwmw></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/ghana-raises-cocoa-price-above-cote-divoire-in-new-boost-for-farmers/">Ghana raises cocoa price above Côte d’Ivoire in new boost for farmers.</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Ghana to host Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire Cocoa Initiative Headquarters</title> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/ghana-to-host-ghana-cote-divoire-cocoa-initiative-headquarters/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:17:18 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Africa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa Co-operation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ghana-Cote d'Ivoire Cocoa initiative Headquarters]]></category> <category><![CDATA[President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/?p=91052</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has hosted Mr Robert Beugré Mambé, the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, at the Jubilee House, ahead of the inauguration of the Headquarters of the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative. The leaders held fruitful discussions regarding the ongoing co-operation in cocoa production for the mutual benefit of the two nations. The Côte […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/ghana-to-host-ghana-cote-divoire-cocoa-initiative-headquarters/">Ghana to host Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire Cocoa Initiative Headquarters</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p class="">Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has hosted Mr Robert Beugré Mambé, the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, at the Jubilee House, ahead of the inauguration of the Headquarters of the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative.</p> <p class="">The leaders held fruitful discussions regarding the ongoing co-operation in cocoa production for the mutual benefit of the two nations.</p> <p class="">The Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative is to give full meaning to the Abidjan Declaration of 26 March 2018, in which the Presidents of the two States reaffirmed their willingness to define a common sustainable cocoa strategy, with a view to increasing the prices received by farmers in their respective countries in a sustainable way.</p> <p class="">President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Ivorian counterpart, Alassane Ouattara will jointly inaugurate the headquarters housing the Secretariat of the Initiative in Accra on Thursday, 18th April 2024.</p> <p class="">Vice President Bawumia announced this on his official Facebook page on Wednesday</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/ghana-to-host-ghana-cote-divoire-cocoa-initiative-headquarters/">Ghana to host Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire Cocoa Initiative Headquarters</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Farmers of cocoa are becoming more and more vulnerable as a result of their declining incomes. Group</title> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/farmers-of-cocoa-are-becoming-more-and-more-vulnerable-as-a-result-of-their-declining-incomes-group/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 29 Sep 2022 13:26:51 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Features]]></category> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ghana]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/?p=79765</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has been instructed by the Coalition for Cocoa Sector Reforms to try to improve the financial circumstances of cocoa farmers. The group claims that cocoa growers are getting poorer and more exposed than ever. The Coalition claimed in a news release that beginning with the 2022–2023 season, farmers should receive […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/farmers-of-cocoa-are-becoming-more-and-more-vulnerable-as-a-result-of-their-declining-incomes-group/">Farmers of cocoa are becoming more and more vulnerable as a result of their declining incomes. Group</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has been instructed by the Coalition for Cocoa Sector Reforms to try to improve the financial circumstances of cocoa farmers.</p> <p>The group claims that cocoa growers are getting poorer and more exposed than ever.</p> <p>The Coalition claimed in a news release that beginning with the 2022–2023 season, farmers should receive a farm gate price rise of at least 100%.</p> <p>“We want to draw COCOBOD’s and the government’s attention to the fact that cocoa farmers are getting poorer and poorer and are more vulnerable than ever.</p> <p>“They deserve no less than 100% increase in farm gate price beginning the 2022/23 season. This implies no less an amount than GIV 21,120.00 per tonne or 1,320.00 per bag from the GII< 10,560 per tonne and GII< 660 per bag respectively offered in the 2020/21 season.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/an-integrated-bauxite-and-aluminum-complex-is-being-built-in-ghana-and-more-of-our-cocoa-is-being-processed-there-akufo-addo/">An integrated bauxite and aluminum complex is being built in Ghana, and more of our cocoa is being processed there- Akufo-Addo</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/cocoa-purchasers-support-the-cocoa-premium-programs-in-ghana-and-cote-divoire/">Cocoa purchasers support the cocoa premium programs in Ghana and Côte d&#8217;Ivoire</a></li> </ul> <p>“In the face of depreciation of the cedi, now is the perfect time to call for cocoa prices to be pegged against the dollar and farmers paid in the cedi equivalent of the forex received from cocoa exports.</p> <p>“The Coalition of Cocoa Sector Reforms (CCRS) an advocate group for Ghana cocoa industry players, makes this proposal for the consideration and implementation by COCOBOD,” their press statement said.</p> <p>It added “Regulatory mismanagement and corruption continues unabated putting licensed buying companies into debt, depreciation of the cedi, increasing inflation, activities of galamsey destroying water bodies, the degrading forest and arable lands among all the factors earlier enumerated worsens the economic and social well-being of farmers and put the industry under serious threat .</p> <p>“The industry is actually sinking at a faster speed. The cocoa farmer is hungry and we call on government to address these concerns.</p> <p>“We call on civil society to come together to advocate for sustainable cocoa since the industry is under a more serious threat. Production volumes is on a sharp decline because there’s no incentive for the youth to go into cocoa farming and our forest continues to see serious degradation by galamsey activities. The industry we predict might not survive the next decade if swift interventions are not taken.”</p> <p> </p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/farmers-of-cocoa-are-becoming-more-and-more-vulnerable-as-a-result-of-their-declining-incomes-group/">Farmers of cocoa are becoming more and more vulnerable as a result of their declining incomes. Group</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Farmers’ capital accumulation is being harmed by the price of cocoa</title> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/farmers-capital-accumulation-is-being-harmed-by-the-price-of-cocoa/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2022 13:07:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa farmers]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/?p=74826</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>“The search by international cocoa buying firms for new sources of cocoa produced in forest areas at cheaper cost undermines production in older established areas. Thus, the price of cocoa deters farmers from accumulating capital in cocoa and consolidating production in older frontier areas.” Professor Kojo Amanor, a social anthropologist, made this observation in his […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/farmers-capital-accumulation-is-being-harmed-by-the-price-of-cocoa/">Farmers’ capital accumulation is being harmed by the price of cocoa</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>“The search by international cocoa buying firms for new sources of cocoa produced in forest areas at cheaper cost undermines production in older established areas. Thus, the price of cocoa deters farmers from accumulating capital in cocoa and consolidating production in older frontier areas.”</strong></p> <p>Professor Kojo Amanor, a social anthropologist, made this observation in his new working paper, titled ‘Cocoa in Ghana: a smallholder sector’ and published by Future Agricultures.</p> <p>Prof. Amanor contends that while new cocoa-producing nations comparatively have lower costs of production, significant growth in their output is affecting older sources.</p> <p>“New frontier areas have also undermined production in old areas by significantly increasing world supplies of cocoa and producing them at far cheaper cost than can be done in old frontiers,” he underscored.</p> <p>Institutions like the Ghana Cocoa Board have in the last half-decade introduced productivity enhancement techniques and good agronomic practices meant to improve yields and incomes for cocoa growers.</p> <p>“Although the new technologies have the potential to raise yields, the high cost of inputs and fertilisers also often result in diminishing returns.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/government-maintains-cocoa-producer-price-at-10560-cedis-per-tonne/">Government maintains cocoa producer price at 10,560 cedis per tonne</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/cocoa-under-irrigation-yielding-positive-results-cocobod/">Cocoa under irrigation yielding positive results-COCOBOD</a></li> </ul> <p>Farmers often struggle to follow official recommendations for applications, which undermines their yield potential. In addition, the combination of too few shade trees on cocoa farms and a lack of synthetic fertilisers often creates stress for hybrid cocoa and an early senescence, which increases the costs of rehabilitation,” he stated.</p> <p>Amanor further explained that the prevailing situation leaves cocoa farmers in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire disadvantaged in their ability to accumulate capital to reinvest into new production methods, technology and labour.</p> <p>The paper seeks to examine recent research focus on a growing emergence of medium-scale farmers in regions like Africa, and observed continued dominance by smallholder farmers in the cocoa sector.</p> <p>“Thus, there is little evidence in the cocoa sector of the emergence of a significant stratum of medium-scale farmers using modern technology, but there’s overwhelming evidence of large numbers of impoverished smallholders who cannot afford to acquire modern technology,” Amanor posited.</p> <p>Professor Kojo Sebastian Amanor, a faculty member of the University of Ghana‘s Institute of African Studies, remarked that the expansion of cocoa farms into forest lands has declined.</p> <p>“In recent years, however, new forest frontiers have declined and most cocoa farmers have been forced to rehabilitate and replant cocoa in open land.”</p> <p>In spite of the seeming positive development in these old cocoa-producing areas, challenges he described as “new barriers” – namely high costs of production, scarcity of land and its high market value, and relatively high cost of labour – now confront farmers.</p> <p>“These new barriers are now also preventing new farmers, including large numbers of women and youth, from entering cocoa,” he added.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/farmers-capital-accumulation-is-being-harmed-by-the-price-of-cocoa/">Farmers’ capital accumulation is being harmed by the price of cocoa</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Court awards GH¢1.2million against Unicom</title> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/court-awards-gh%c2%a21-2million-against-unicom/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 19 Nov 2019 11:04:53 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Crime]]></category> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nyonkopa Cocoa Buying Company]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nyonkopa Company Limited]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Unicom]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Unicom Commodities Limited]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/?p=48077</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The Court of Appeal sitting in Kumasi has dismissed an application for stay of execution filed by Unicom Commodities Limited to stop Nyonkopa Cocoa Buying Company from executing a defamation suit the latter won against it. Unicom was trying to stop Nyonkopa from going ahead to retrieve GH¢1.2 million the Kumasi High Court awarded it […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/court-awards-gh%c2%a21-2million-against-unicom/">Court awards GH¢1.2million against Unicom</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>The Court of Appeal sitting in Kumasi has dismissed an application for stay of execution filed by Unicom Commodities Limited to stop Nyonkopa Cocoa Buying Company from executing a defamation suit the latter won against it.</h3> <p>Unicom was trying to stop Nyonkopa from going ahead to retrieve GH¢1.2 million the Kumasi High Court awarded it for reputational damages it suffered when the former caused a truckload of cocoa beans which had been graded, bagged and sealed, uniquely coded, way billed and certified by Quality Control Company, to be impounded by the police on allegation that the said beans belonged to it and were stolen by Nyonkopa.</p> <p>The Court in a unanimous decision dismissed the application, describing it as “unmeritorious.”</p> <p>The Court was presided over by Justice Mariana Owusu, with Justices Senyo Dzamefe and Mrs Margaret Welbourne as other members of the panel.</p> <p>This was the second time the company applied for the stay of execution. The first was granted in part by the High Court that awarded the damages.</p> <p>In granting the stay of execution in part, the court ordered Unicom to pay Nyonkopa GHC500,000.00 pending the outcome of the appeal against the first ruling which awarded the damages at the Court of Appeal.</p> <p>,<b>Defamation</b></p> <p>In April this year, the High Court in Kumasi presided over by Justice Kofi Akrowiah found Unicom Commodities Limited liable for defaming Nyonkopa Cocoa Buying Company Limited, a subsidiary of Barry Callbaut, when it falsely reported to the police that Nyonkopa stole 600 bags of cocoa beans from its warehouse in Asumura in then Brong Ahafo Region and caused the police to arrest and impound the truck loaded with the said beans en route to Kaase Port in Kumasi.</p> <p>The Court also awarded GHC40, 000.00 to the plaintiff as cost.</p> <p>The said arrest was given prominent media coverage thus putting the name of Nyonkopa into disrepute and lowered it in the estimation of right-thinking members of society.</p> <p>The Court held that the allegation of Unicom of cocoa beans belonging to it “having graded cocoa bags under the name of Nyonkopa Company Limited which has been found to be untrue is clearly defamatory on the face of it.”</p> <p>According to the court, “there is no way cocoa graded and being sent to Tema can just be stopped and arrested under the circumstance without the involvement of the defendant. And indeed, it is the defendant who claimed ownership of the cocoa.”</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Source: </strong><a href="http://www.graphic.com.gh/">Graphic.com.gh</a></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/court-awards-gh%c2%a21-2million-against-unicom/">Court awards GH¢1.2million against Unicom</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Use approved methods to ferment cocoa – Farmers advised</title> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/use-approved-methods-to-ferment-cocoa-farmers-advised/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 26 Jun 2019 05:07:21 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Social]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Agriculture]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocobod]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Famers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Food and Agriculture Minister]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod)]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/?p=43410</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Cocoa farmers in the country have been urged to use only approved methods and procedures to ferment and dry harvested cocoa beans, as this would ensure its standard quality on the local and international markets. Mr Michael Kwabena Osei, the Obuasi District Officer of Quality Control Company (QCC) Division of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/use-approved-methods-to-ferment-cocoa-farmers-advised/">Use approved methods to ferment cocoa – Farmers advised</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Cocoa farmers in the country have been urged to use only approved methods and procedures to ferment and dry harvested cocoa beans, as this would ensure its standard quality on the local and international markets.</h3> <p>Mr Michael Kwabena Osei, the Obuasi District Officer of Quality Control Company (QCC) Division of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), who gave the advice at a farmers’ rally, said it is imperative for all cocoa farmers during the entire fermentation period to cover the beans with natural materials devoid of artificial chemicals.<br /> He said the recommended organic materials are plantain and banana leaves, local baskets woven from canes and raffia, among others.</p> <p>Mr Osei addressing the rally held at Mile 9, a farming community in the Amansie Central District of Ashanti, advised against the use of materials such as polythene bags, mosquito nets and others as covering when fermenting the beans.</p> <p> “The practice was likely to introduce and leave traces of toxic chemical residues to contaminate the cocoa beans and it must be avoided at all cost”, he said.</p> <p>Highlighting on the importance of good drying procedures, he called on the farmers to ensure that they exposed every cocoa bean to sunlight to ensure that all the beans were completely dry and crisp, as poor drying could lead to the formation of molds on the beans.</p> <p> ‘‘Cocoa beans not well dried contain moisture and when bagged, it could easily develop internal and external molds due to the heat in the bags”, Mr Osei explained.</p> <p>Nana Emmanuel Ankapong, the Amansie Central District Chief Farmer, commended CHED for the forum and urged the farmers to put into practice good agronomic practices introduced to them by CHED in order to boost production, yield and returns.</p> <p>He also called on CHED to provide farmers attending rallies with gifts such as cutlasses, wellington boots among other farm inputs in order to enhance the participation of farmers in the various fora and relevant stakeholder engagements.</p> <p>The rally which was organized by the Obuasi District Office of the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), brought together about 120 cocoa farmers in the COCOBOD administrative districts.</p> <p>They are Amansie Central, Obuasi East, Obuasi Municipal, Adansi North and South districts.<br /> The goal was to facilitate CHED’s farmers’ education on good agronomic practices such as pruning, fertilizer application, weeding and pollination, to ensure optimum yield and returns.</p> <p>GNA</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/use-approved-methods-to-ferment-cocoa-farmers-advised/">Use approved methods to ferment cocoa – Farmers advised</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Ghana’s cocoa products attract Chinese interest at Hangzhou Expo</title> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/ghanas-cocoa-products-attract-chinese-interest-at-hangzhou-expo/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2019 08:43:06 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[China]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa Processing Company]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hangzhou Expo]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/?p=42400</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The Ghana’s stand at the International Tea and Coffee Expo in Hangzhou, China was the toast of hundreds of Chinese, as they visited the stand to have a taste of the cocoa products on exhibition.   On the day set aside to honour Ghana, the Ghanaian stand was visited by the Chinese Minister for Agriculture […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/ghanas-cocoa-products-attract-chinese-interest-at-hangzhou-expo/">Ghana’s cocoa products attract Chinese interest at Hangzhou Expo</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>The Ghana’s stand at the International Tea and Coffee Expo in Hangzhou, China was the toast of hundreds of Chinese, as they visited the stand to have a taste of the cocoa products on exhibition. </h3> <p>On the day set aside to honour Ghana, the Ghanaian stand was visited by the Chinese Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Mr Han Changfu and later by his Vice Dr Qu. Dongyu, a statement from Ghanaian officials copied the Ghanaian Times said.</p> <p>The huge crowds were entertained by a Ghanaian dancing troupe accompanied by traditional music, much to the appreciation and amusement of the ministers and the teeming visitors, the statement said.</p> <p>The organisers of the Expo confirmed Ghana’s stand as, by far the most popular.</p> <p>Dr Owusu Akoto Afriyie is in China with a 20-member delegation from Ghana to promote Ghanaian chocolate and other cocoa products to Chinese consumers.</p> <p>The delegation includes a strong contingent from Cocoa Processing Company, Ghana Cocobod, private cocoa processor Plotte Limited from Takoradi, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and others.</p> <p>Ghana was invited by the Chinese government as special guest country.</p> <p>The Expo which started on Tuesday and ended yesterday drew more than 2000 exhibitors from different countries.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/ghanas-cocoa-products-attract-chinese-interest-at-hangzhou-expo/">Ghana’s cocoa products attract Chinese interest at Hangzhou Expo</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>AgDevCo invests $3million in Ghanaian farmer-owned Cocoa Company</title> <link>https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/agdevco-invests-3million-in-ghanaian-farmer-owned-cocoa-company/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 16 Jan 2019 02:15:52 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Africa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[AgDevCo]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Agribusiness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cocoa]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/?p=38954</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Impact investor AgDevCo has invested in Kuapa Kokoo Limited, the only licensed cocoa buying company in Ghana which is owned by a cooperative of Ghanaian smallholder cocoa farmers. AgDevCo’s $3.0 million trade finance facility will allow the company to purchase cocoa beans from its network of 100,000 farmers, all of whom are multiple certified (UTZ, RainForest, Fairtrade and Fair […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/agdevco-invests-3million-in-ghanaian-farmer-owned-cocoa-company/">AgDevCo invests $3million in Ghanaian farmer-owned Cocoa Company</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Impact investor AgDevCo has invested in Kuapa Kokoo Limited, the only licensed cocoa buying company in Ghana which is owned by a cooperative of Ghanaian smallholder cocoa farmers.</h3> <p>AgDevCo’s $3.0 million trade finance facility will allow the company to purchase cocoa beans from its network of 100,000 farmers, all of whom are multiple certified (UTZ, RainForest, Fairtrade and Fair Trade USA). Kuapa Kokoo has also started an organic certification programme.</p> <p>Kuapa Kokoo was established in 1993 following the liberalization of Ghana’scocoa industry. The company holds the largest shareholding (44%) in the Divine Chocolate Company, which produces high-quality branded chocolate for UK and USA markets, made exclusively from Kuapa Kokoo beans.</p> <p>Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world. About a quarter of the population depends in some way or the other on the cocoa sector. The Ghanaian government is committed to raising productivity, ensuring a fair price for farmers and finding ways to add value through local processing.</p> <p>Chris Isaac, AgDevCo’s Managing Director for West Africa said: “AgDevCo looks forward to building a long-term partnership with Kuapa Kokoo and supporting the company’s innovative work to develop the Ghanaian cocoa industry for the benefit of its membership.”</p> <p>AgDevCo is an impact investor headquartered in London specialising in agribusiness investments in Sub-Sahara Africa with a portfolio consisting of over 50 investments in production, processing and distribution companies.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://www.agdevco.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.agdevco.com</a></strong></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com/agdevco-invests-3million-in-ghanaian-farmer-owned-cocoa-company/">AgDevCo invests $3million in Ghanaian farmer-owned Cocoa Company</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sweetmelodiesfm.com">Sweet Melodies FM</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>