The Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Randy Abbey, has disclosed that significant price differences between Ghana and neighbouring countries drive cocoa farmers to smuggle beans across borders.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile programme on Saturday, February 14, 2026, Dr Abbey pointed to research indicating that when the price gap exceeds 400 United States dollars per tonne between Ghana and markets like Ivory Coast or Togo, smuggling activity intensifies sharply.
“Research shows that anytime there is a gap of more than $400, the incidence of smuggling is very high,” he stated.
Smuggling Crisis of 2023 to 2024
Dr Abbey recounted how the 2023 to 2024 season was marked by severe smuggling pressures. Ghana was paying farmers 3,100 United States dollars per tonne while spot prices in neighbouring countries reached between 6,000 and 7,000 United States dollars.
“Last year, we had massive smuggling. Almost daily, we had arrest reports of smuggling to the extent that we even had national security meetings on smuggling,” Dr Abbey said.
He explained that smugglers offered farmers between 4,000 and 5,000 United States dollars per tonne, coming directly onto farms to purchase cocoa beans. This eliminated the need for farmers to transport the produce themselves across borders.
Current Cash Flow Constraints
The COCOBOD chief revealed that the board currently faces cash flow challenges affecting its ability to purchase cocoa beans. This situation has created an opening for smuggling networks even when Ghana’s pricing is relatively competitive.
“Even those who intend to smuggle know that Ghana is not buying,” Dr Abbey stated, referring to instances where financial limitations have left beans unpurchased at farms.
According to him, addressing these structural pressures is necessary to protect Ghana’s cocoa industry and ensure farmers are not pushed toward illegal trade routes.
Pricing Competitiveness Challenge
Dr Abbey acknowledged that while smuggling has decreased this season due to narrower price gaps, a new challenge has emerged. Ghana’s cocoa beans have become more expensive than other producing countries on the international market.
“Now, we are where we are because our bean is not competitive, the price of our bean as compared to other origins. Our beans are more expensive,” he said.
This pricing structure has left COCOBOD with stockpiles of unsold cocoa, marking a sharp reversal from last season when the primary concern was preventing beans from leaving the country illegally.
National Security Intervention
The smuggling crisis in the 2023 to 2024 season became severe enough to warrant intervention from national security agencies. Smugglers used various vehicles, including four-wheel drives and even hospital ambulances, to transport beans across borders.
Dr Abbey’s remarks highlight how market dynamics in Ghana’s cocoa sector have shifted dramatically within a year. While 2024 was defined by efforts to curb illegal exports, the current concern centres on Ghana’s pricing structure and its impact on international demand.
COCOBOD is working to stabilise the sector amid ongoing financial and operational pressures as Ghana remains the world’s second-largest cocoa producer.
