Government will, effective 2026/2027 cocoa season, ensure at least 50 per cent of all cocoa beans produced in the country are processed locally.
This is part of a bill yet to be presented to Parliament to change the financing model of cocoa purchases in the country.
Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, during a press briefing on Thursday, February 12, 2026, which detailed the outcome of an emergency Cabinet meeting constituted by President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday, February 11, noted that value addition has become crucial to promote job creation.
The emergency Cabinet meeting, which was followed by the press encounter, was to find solutions to the challenges at the cocoa sector, particularly the government’s struggle to pay the cocoa farmers and those along the value chain.
He noted that the remaining beans for the 2025/2026 year should also be processed locally.
“With the new financing model, Cocoa Board can sell beans of any volume to local processing companies to promote value addition and job creation. Cabinets has, however, directed that with immediate effect, the remainder of the beans for the crop year 2025-2026 should be allocated for domestic processing.
“Cabinet has also directed that beginning from 2026 to 2027 crop season, a minimum of 50% of all cocoa beans should be processed locally,” the Minister disclosed, saying “this will be part of the Cocoa Board bill going to Parliament.”
According to Dr. Forson, the local processors have also expressed their willingness to execute the charge, indicating they posses the wherewithal to do so.
“Pursuant to this, the state-owned cocoa processing company, CPC, will be revived as a matter of priority to become the leading processor of Ghana’s cocoa beans. I’ve also, this morning, together with my colleague, the Minister responsible for trade, agribusiness and industry, met with domestic cocoa processors cutting across the private sector, who have indicated that they have the capacity and the willingness to process more than 50% of Ghana’s cocoa beans going forward.”
Government to revive Cocoa Processing Company, convert COCOBOD’s GH¢5.8bn debt – Ato Forson
