The Chamber of Cocoa Marketers Ghana has warned that Licensed Buying Companies could struggle to return to the farms to buy cocoa when the 2026/27 season opens if Cocobod fails to settle its outstanding debts.
The Chamber stated that Cocobod owes LBCs nearly GH¢4 billion, leaving the companies struggling to secure fresh credit while they continue servicing loans taken to finance cocoa purchases in previous seasons.
The Chamber added that the outstanding debt is making it difficult for LBCs to secure the funds they need for the new season.
On cocoa pricing, the Chamber raised concerns about Ghana’s new pricing mechanism, which guarantees farmers 70 per cent of the FOB price ,warning that an increase in farmgate price could widen the price difference with Côte d’Ivoire which can also encourage the movement of cocoa across the border, raising the possibility of smuggling.
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