Ghana’s efforts to expand local cocoa consumption have received renewed attention, with the Vice President urging Cocoa Processing Company PLC (CPC) to take advantage of the country’s large senior high school market to boost demand for locally processed cocoa products.
She described the SHS segment, which enrolls more than a million students, as a strategic but underutilised market that could significantly increase domestic consumption while supporting the country’s value addition agenda.
Beyond its economic potential, cocoa’s nutritional and cognitive benefits are unmatched as the product contains antioxidants and minerals that support concentration, memory and overall well-being. These qualities, make cocoa an ideal addition to the diets of students engaged in intensive academic work.
In 2019 a previous administration pledged to introduce a national cocoa drink initiative to provide Kindergarten and Primary School pupils with a cup of cocoa three times a week under the School Feeding Programme. The policy was intended to improve school enrolment and retention, enhance academic performance, reduce hunger and promote early adoption of cocoa consumption. However, it did not materialise due to funding and implementation constraints.
The current scenario is different. The government is not introducing a national cocoa drink programme. Rather, it is encouraging CPC as a commercial entity to explore and fully exploit the SHS market to help grow domestic demand and strengthen the cocoa value chain.
During a courtesy call by the Board and Management of CPC, the Vice President commended the company’s recent progress, noting that its share price has doubled over the past three months, signalling renewed investor confidence and growing international interest.
Prof Opoku-Agyeman also highlighted opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area, which offers a wider platform for CPC to expand its reach across the continent as Ghana advances its industrialisation and value addition efforts.
CPC’s Managing Director, Professor William Coffie, outlined progress made under the company’s renewed strategy and pointed to rising global interest in Ghanaian cocoa products. He stressed the need for additional financial and infrastructural support to enhance competitiveness and expand production capacity to meet increasing domestic and export demand.
The meeting concluded with the Board and Management of CPC presenting a citation of honor to the Vice President in recognition of her longstanding advocacy for value addition and her support for Ghana processed cocoa products.
