Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has reaffirmed government commitment to transforming Ghana’s cocoa sector from raw bean exports to processed product manufacturing, emphasizing the economic and strategic importance of local value addition.
The Vice President made the declaration during a strategic meeting with the Board and Management of Cocoa Processing Company Public Limited Company (CPC) at Jubilee House in Accra. The company’s leadership, led by Managing Director Professor William Coffie, paid a courtesy call to acknowledge her sustained advocacy for promoting Ghanaian cocoa products both domestically and internationally.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang underscored that processing more cocoa locally would boost national revenue, enhance competitiveness, and position Ghana advantageously within emerging regional and global markets. She described local processing as central to Ghana’s industrial growth and economic sovereignty, noting that value addition ensures Ghanaian cocoa products can compete strongly in both African and international markets.
The Vice President expressed satisfaction with CPC’s recent business performance, noting the company recorded a 100 percent increase in share price over the past three months. She characterized this development as reflecting renewed investor confidence and a positive operational trajectory for the state-linked enterprise.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang observed that rising numbers of international visitors and prospective partners engaging with CPC demonstrate global recognition of Ghana’s expanding cocoa processing capacity. She said this growing international interest validates the country’s strategic shift toward manufacturing finished cocoa products rather than exporting raw materials.
The Vice President encouraged CPC to intensify marketing and distribution efforts, highlighting senior high schools as a significant yet untapped market. She explained that targeting educational institutions could promote local consumption, support youth nutrition, and cultivate a new generation that values Ghanaian products.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang emphasized the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides a strong platform for CPC to expand its footprint across the continent. She described AfCFTA as offering avenues to grow markets, enhance competitiveness, and showcase high-value Ghanaian products to the world as part of the country’s broader push for value addition and industrialization.
The Vice President articulated government’s mission as transforming Ghana’s cocoa sector from exporting raw beans to exporting proudly Ghanaian, high-value products. She assured the CPC leadership that government would continue backing the company fully in its efforts to lead this transformation.
Professor Coffie outlined progress made under the company’s new leadership and identified key needs requiring government support to restore CPC’s competitive position. He highlighted increasing international interest in the company’s operations and growing market opportunities as significant indicators of positive momentum.
The Managing Director stressed the need for enhanced financial and infrastructural support to strengthen CPC’s competitiveness within the West African sub-region. He explained such support would help the company scale up production to meet rising demand for Ghanaian processed cocoa products.
Professor Coffie asked for government assistance to help bring back the company’s lost fortunes, acknowledging that CPC faced historical challenges that had diminished its market position. He expressed optimism that renewed government commitment combined with improved management could restore the company to profitability and market leadership.
The meeting reaffirmed collective commitment to deepening collaboration between government and the cocoa processing sector to advance Ghana’s value addition agenda. Both parties agreed on the strategic imperative of transitioning from raw cocoa bean exports to manufacturing and exporting more Ghanaian-branded processed products.
The Board and Management presented a citation of honor to the Vice President in recognition of her advocacy for value addition and promotion of Ghanaian-processed cocoa products. The award acknowledged her consistent efforts to champion local manufacturing and boost consumption of domestically produced cocoa goods.
The strategic meeting comes as Ghana seeks to maximize benefits from the AfCFTA, which creates a market of 1.2 billion people with combined gross domestic product (GDP) of three trillion United States dollars (USD). Industry experts have identified enormous opportunities for Ghanaian cocoa processors to access new markets across the continent through the trade agreement.
Ghana produces premium quality cocoa and ranks as the world’s second-largest producer by volume. However, the country has historically exported most of its cocoa as raw beans rather than processed products, limiting potential revenue and job creation from the valuable commodity.
Local cocoa processors have indicated they face challenges including expensive raw materials, as Ghana’s cocoa industry remains focused primarily on export markets. Small-scale manufacturers and artisans have called for easier and more affordable access to cocoa beans and related raw materials to feed domestic processing operations.
The government has set ambitious targets for increasing the proportion of cocoa processed locally, aiming to boost installed processing capacity utilization and create more jobs in the manufacturing sector. Officials believe value addition in cocoa processing can significantly enhance national earnings compared to raw bean exports.
CPC operates processing facilities that manufacture cocoa liquor, butter, natural and alkalized cake or powder, and various chocolate products. The company serves both domestic markets and international export destinations, positioning itself as a key player in Ghana’s cocoa value addition drive.
The Vice President’s renewed commitment to supporting cocoa processors aligns with broader government industrialization objectives under the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda. Policymakers view local processing of agricultural commodities as essential to economic transformation and job creation for the country’s youthful population.
Industry stakeholders expressed optimism that government backing combined with improved market access through AfCFTA would enable Ghanaian cocoa processors to expand operations and capture greater value from the country’s most important agricultural export commodity.