The Quality Control Division (QCD) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has intercepted 240 bags of poor quality cocoa suspected to have been bought into the country from Cote d'Ivoire by some licensed purchasing companies (LPCs).
Mr Emmanuel Antwi-Donkor, Ashanti Regional Manager of the Division, who announced this said 120 bags of the cocoa seized at Sefwi-Debiso, a border town, had already been evacuated to Kumasi.
He made this known at a two-day seminar organised by the Adwumapa Buyers Limited for its purchasing clerks (PCs), area and district managers at the Teachers' Hall in Kumasi on Tuesday.
Mr Antwi-Donkor reminded the LPCs that the only way Ghana could maintain the premium on its cocoa was to ensure the high quality beans that the country has been noted for over the years.
He warned that QCD, which is vested with the power to confiscate for destruction bad cocoa beans, would not hesitate to exercise its power.
To assist PCs of the companies to identify the different grades of cocoa and distinguish quality beans from slate and mouldy ones, he said, it was imperative for them to arrange for QCD to train them.
Mr Antwi-Donkor expressed concern about the intense competition among LPCs that has led to a situation where cocoa beans were not allowed to dry properly before they were bought.
The Executive Director of Adwumapa Buyers, Mr Abdallah Salia said the Board of Directors has put in place measures to improve the monitoring and evacuation of cocoa to reduce losses.
This, he noted, has paid off with significant improvement in its purchases over the last two years.
A total of 28,400 tonnes was bought in the 1999/2000-crop season while that for the 2000/2001 was 33,700 tonnes.
The company had earlier in the day honoured 10 of its dedicated farmers, 10 area and district managers, 52 PCs and some drivers.
They were given household items ranging from 20-inch colour television sets, wax prints, 52 bicycles and radio cassette recorders.
