LBCs urged to stop buying damp cocoa beans

Kumasi, March 5, GNA - Licensed Cocoa Buying Companies (LBCs) have been advised to do away with the unhealthy practice of putting pressure on farmers to sell their produce that is not thoroughly dried. Nana Kwadwo Appiah-Kubi, Chairman of the Kuapa Kokoo Limited (KKL), a LBC, said apart from the threat it posed to the quality of the country's cocoa, the practice had also led to a situation where purchasing clerks (PCs) resorted to weighing cocoa over and above the approved weight to make up for the anticipated shortfall during further drying at the buying centres.

"Under no circumstance should the keen competition among the LBCs be allowed to undermine standards that have over the years helped Ghana to maintain the premium on its cocoa," he cautioned.

Nana Appiah-Kubi was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on his return from Abidjan where he led a two-man delegation of the KKL to attend La Cote d'Ivoire's Cocoa celebrations.

The three-day event brought together stakeholders including buyers, producers, exporters, processors and chocolate manufacturers as well as representatives of governments and international organisations from a number of countries.

The KKL Chairman reminded the companies that it would be unreasonable for them to expect that they would be allowed to go into the export of the crop unless quality assurance could be guaranteed. He noted that Cote d'Ivoire was having a big problem with the price for its cocoa due largely to the hasty and inappropriate manner the country liberalised the export trade of the crop, leading to total neglect of quality standards.

Nana Appiah-Kubi was full of praise for Mr Kwame Sarpong Chief Executive of the Ghana cocoa Board (COCOBOD), for what he said was exceptionally brilliant presentation of the country's cocoa industry to the international gathering, saying: "He indeed made Ghana proud". The other member of the KKL delegation was Mr L.A. Santana, vice-chairman of the company.