Widening price gaps in the cocoa trade are being blamed for a surge in smuggling activities, prompting authorities to intensify enforcement across border communities in the Bono Region.
Joseph Addae Akwaboa says investigations have uncovered how some traders and networks are exploiting differences in cocoa pricing between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to move beans illegally across borders.
He explained that while the official price in Ghana exceeds GH¢2,500 per bag, some buyers are allegedly offering farmers far lower rates, sometimes around GH¢30 per kilogramme, coupled with additional deductions that significantly reduce farmers’ earnings.
According to him, these practices have created incentives for smuggling and undermined the integrity of Ghana’s cocoa sector.
The warning follows a recent joint operation by the anti-smuggling unit of the Ghana Cocoa Board and security agencies, which led to the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of more than 100 bags of cocoa at Nkrankwanta.
Mr Akwaboa indicated that some Licensed Buying Companies and purchasing clerks may also be complicit in the illegal trade, adding that ongoing investigations aim to uncover the full extent of the network.
He stressed that those found culpable would be prosecuted, warning that authorities are expanding surveillance and enforcement operations to dismantle smuggling syndicates.
The Minister reiterated government’s commitment to protecting cocoa farmers from exploitation and ensuring that the sector remains transparent and beneficial to legitimate producers.
