info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
Image from Ghana Business News
Agriculture is an important part of the Ghanaian economy, accounting for at least 25% of GDP and providing employment opportunities for nearly 45% of Ghanaians.
Cocoa is the country's main agriculture export and together with its western neighbor, Ivory Coast, the two countries produced and exported over 60 per cent of the world's cocoa in 2015. Cocoa is the major ingredient used in the manufacture of chocolate. The chocolate industry is estimated to be worth $100 billion every year. But Ghana and Ivory Coast earn paltry sums for their cocoa.
The Netherlands is the global trade centre for cocoa and semi-finished products and the world's largest importer of cocoa beans, importing about 85% of cocoa from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Nigeria.
Although Africa produces close to 74 per cent of global cocoa, the continent accounts for only around 20 per cent of the grinding process.
Recently, the Government of Ghana and Ivory Coast have been working together to resolve the unfair cocoa price system. They begin to focus on the processing of agricultural products,encourage the development of product processing industries and provide added value and to reduce the export of raw materials. Chinese food processing companies can strengthen cooperation with the cocoa industry and promote economic development.
