Royal Commodities Limited introduces electronic cocoa weighing scales

Alhaji Abdulzakou Adamou, the Managing Director of Royal Commodities Ltd (ROCO), an indigenous Licensed Cocoa Buying Company (LBC), says the company has taken delivery of over 200 pieces of electronic weighing scales for cocoa purchases.

The move, he said, is in an effort to address allegations of scale adjustment.

“We believe the move will eliminate cheating tendencies, allay fears, boost trust, as well as ensure the payment of exact producer price to our hardworking cocoa farmers in the country”, he said.

Alhaji Adamou said the introduction of the electronic weighing scales will make the company the preferred LBC in Ghana as the company affirms its commitment to phase out all manual platform scales from its operations within the next two years.

Alhaji Abdulzakou Adamou was speaking at a ceremony to hand over 30 new trucks funded by GCB Bank to his company to help in the primary and secondary evacuation activities of cocoa beans across the cocoa regions in the country.

Alhaji Adamou said, as part of an on-going restructuring in the company’s operations, the management of ROCO has introduced some innovations which include extending operations to the Volta Region and the adoption of electronic weighing scales for cocoa purchases.

Presenting the keys to the management of ROCO, Nana Antwi Boasiako, the Acting Head of Corporate Banking GCB bank, lauded the long standing relationship between ROCO and GCB bank and said the bank considered it appropriate to support ROCO in view of its viability, creditworthiness, good management system, and loyalty.

Nana Antwi Boasiako urged management of ROCO to use the trucks for the intended purpose to raise last year’s purchase of 15,000mt of cocoa to an appreciable level.

“GCB bank has financed this year’s cocoa purchases by advancing funds to the tune of about GHC754 million; making it the biggest financier of LBCs in the country, he disclosed.

The Deputy Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in charge of Operations, Mr. Emmanuel Opoku, praised the collaboration between GCB bank and ROCO in facilitating internal purchases of cocoa and called on banks and other financial institutions to support COCOBOD through direct financial assistance to LBCs.

Mr. Opoku advised the drivers of the trucks to observe safety and quality control measures during the evacuation of cocoa beans from the farm gates to the depots.