Q&A

What are the cocoa growing areas in Ghana?

What are the cocoa growing areas in Ghana?

Cocoa production occurs in the country’s forested areas: Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central Region, Eastern Region, Western Region, and Volta, where rainfall is 1,000–1,500 millimeters per year. The crop year begins in October, when purchases of the main crop begin, with a smaller mid-crop cycle beginning in July.

How many cocoa farms are in Ghana?

Cocoa farming is the backbone of Ghana’s economy. 800,000 small scale cocoa farmers make up 60% of the country’s agricultural base.

How much do cocoa farmers get paid in Ghana?

Cocoa farmers in Ghana make $1/day, while those in Côte d’Ivoire make around $0.78/day—both significantly below the extreme poverty line. Farmers are often unable to bear the costs of cocoa farming as a result of low incomes.

How many cocoa districts are in Ghana?

41 Districts
Besides, the Unit operates in seven (7) Cocoa Regions of Ghana namely; Eastern, Ashanti, Central, Brong-Ahafo, Western North, Western South and Volta Regions. The seven Cocoa Regions are further divided into 41 Districts.

How much does cocoa contribute to Ghana’s economy?

Cocoa production has been the backbone of Ghana’s economy since the 1870s. It dominates the agricultural sector and contributes about 30% of the country’s export earnings.

How much does cocoa contribute to Ghana’s GDP?

While the sector’s overall contribution to national gross domestic product (GDP) is about 3 percent, it makes up about 20-25 percent of total export receipts, provides about two-thirds of cocoa farmers’ incomes and supports the livelihoods of approximately four million farming households (Ghana Statistical Service.

How much money do cocoa farmers get paid?

The average cocoa farm will produce one or two tonnes of cocoa beans a year; one tonne is 16 sacks of cocoa. The average farmer will make between $1,400-$2,000 profit a year, at most about $5 a day, which will need to support 6-10 dependants.

Why cocoa farmers are poor?

Farmers are in poverty through lack of living income. A lack of a living income leads to unsustainable farming practices, including deforestation linked to cocoa farming, and the pernicious problems of irresponsible labour practices including child and forced labour.

How much is a bag of cocoa in Ghana?

President Akufo-Addo increases Producer Price of Cocoa to GHS660 per bag. President Akufo-Addo has announced a new producer price for Cocoa for the 2020/2021 crop season. The government has pegged the new price at GHS10, 560 per metric ton of cocoa— which translates to GHS660 per bag of cocoa.

Why does Ghana get so little money?

It cannot be adjusted by price setting. Cocoa producers have no control over price; they are price takers. So the higher production cost reduces the profit made by cocoa farmers. Although cocoa planters are faring well in Ghana, it is not clear that Ghana’s cocoa sector is really a success story.

How important is cocoa to Ghana?

“Cocoa is a major source of foreign exchange for Ghana and foreign exchange is good for the country. Also, cocoa money is used for hospitals and roads for the benefit of the country. Cocoa is the backbone of the Ghanaian economy.” (Male FGD participants, Western Region).

Why is Ghana a good place to grow cocoa?

This is because it can only take place in Ghana’s forest agro-ecological zone. In this zone, the rainfall is ideal for cocoa at 1500-2000mm, with a dry season of about four months. Also, cocoa trees thrive under shade.

What are the main cash crops in Ghana?

cocoa

  • beans
  • palm
  • oil
  • pineapples
  • cotton
  • tomatoes
  • bananas
  • citrus fruits
  • coconuts
  • Where in Ghana is cocoa beans grown?

    Cocoa cultivation is not native to the country; Ghana’s cocoa cultivation, however, is noted within the developing world to be one of the most modeled commodities and valuables. [4] Cocoa production occurs in the country’s forested areas: Ashanti , Brong-Ahafo , Central Region , Eastern Region , Western Region , and Volta , where rainfall is 1,000-1,500 millimeters per year.

    Who introduced cocoa first in Ghana, West Africa?

    In 1870 Tetteh Quarshie introduced the cocoa crops to Ghana (a pre-independence Ghanaian) which today constitute one of the major export crops of the Ghanaian economy. In 1847 Joseph Fry creates a moldable paste of cocoa powder, sugar and cocoa butter.

    Where do cocoa beans come from?

    Cocoa is the product that is produced from it. Seventy percenr (70%) of the world’s cocoa beans come from four countries in West Africa, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon.