The Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Dr. Ransford Abbey, and his Deputy in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr. Ato Boateng, have held a strategic engagement with leading international cocoa trading companies in London as part of preparations for Ghana’s 2026/27 cocoa season.
The meeting, convened by the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Company (UK) Ltd. (GCMC UK), brought together representatives of major international cocoa trading and processing companies with longstanding commercial relationships with Ghana’s cocoa sector.
The engagement formed part of COCOBOD’s commitment to maintaining open dialogue with key stakeholders and ensuring that trading partners remain informed and engaged as Ghana implements reforms aimed at strengthening the sustainability, efficiency and competitiveness of the cocoa sector.
Discussions focused on the newly enacted Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 2026 (Act 1182), the proposed cocoa sector financing framework, preparations for the 2026/27 cocoa season, as well as other operational and commercial matters relevant to industry participants.
Key areas discussed included the proposed commercial paper and bond financing programme, liquidity arrangements for the new season, the role of private-sector financing in supporting Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), readiness for the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and opportunities to strengthen collaboration between COCOBOD and international trading partners.
The engagement was characterised by open, constructive and forward-looking discussions, with participants sharing perspectives on the opportunities and challenges facing Ghana’s cocoa sector.
Participants welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with COCOBOD leadership and exchange views on measures to strengthen the sector and ensure a successful start to the new cocoa season.
COCOBOD reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, stakeholder engagement and continuous collaboration with its trading partners as implementation arrangements for the new financing framework continue to evolve.
The meeting also reinforced the longstanding partnership between Ghana and the international cocoa trade and underscored a shared commitment to maintaining Ghana’s position as a trusted and preferred origin of premium cocoa.
