COPAL Cocoa Day Launched

This year's Cocoa Day, which is celebrated by member countries that form the Alliance of Cocoa Producing Countries (COPAL), was launched in Accra yesterday.

The Cocoa Day, which has been celebrated since 2005, is expected to begin from September 28 to October 1 during which there would be a durbar of chiefs at Agona Swedru in the Central region to climax the event.

The event is being held under the theme: 'Cocoa consumption for healthier life and sustainable economy.'

Launching activities to mark the celebration, Tony Fofie, Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), said the COPAL Day would be used to honour journalists and individuals who have contributed to the promotion of the cocoa industry.

He also said they would honour the most promising young cocoa farmer to motivate the youth into the venture.

Mr. Fofie said COCOBOD was committed to creating the needed awareness on the health benefits of cocoa that would lead to greater consumption and motivate them to increase production.

'Our lives depend on the consumption of the various products of cocoa and when there is high consumption it motivates us to increase production.'

He acknowledged that cocoa production would continue to be the backbone of the country's economy and urged all stakeholders to continue their collaboration towards the modernization of the sector.

Afriyie Haffer, a member of the board of directors of COCOBOD, who chaired the launch, called for the intensification of modern technology into cocoa production.

'We have to develop our cocoa through tertiary level since that is what would sustain the industry. We also have to encourage our local processors to enter into tertiary production.'

Sona Ebai, the immediate past Secretary-General of COPAL, said it is evident that the production and marketing cocoa beans depends on the level of consumption of the product when processed.

'The market does not get a push if we do not consume. We have to promote the products for the public to appreciate our efforts.'

The founding members of COPAL are Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, Ivory Coast and Cameroon. COPAL is guided by the Abidjan Charter. The headquarters is located in Lagos, Nigeria.

  By William Yaw Owusu