• Illegal cocoa exports to Côte d’Ivoire and Togo cost Ghana $1.1 billion
• 473,253 tons smuggled between 2021/2022 and 2024/2025 seasons
• Government raises farmgate prices and rewards informants to curb losses

Ghana has lost about $1.1 billion in export revenue over the past four cocoa seasons due to illegal bean shipments to Côte d’Ivoire and Togo, according to the latest estimates from the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), cited by News Ghana on Tuesday, October 28.

Data compiled by the regulator show that a total of 473,253 tons of cocoa were smuggled between the 2021/2022 and 2024/2025 seasons, peaking at 253,212 tons in 2023/2024. This shortage has reduced bean availability in 2024/2025 and forced COCOBOD to postpone delivery of 100,000 tons to the 2025/2026 season, which began in August.

The problem stems mainly from price disparities that drive farmers to sell across borders for higher returns. Well-organized networks exploit porous borders, particularly in Ghana’s Western North, Western South, Volta, and Brong Ahafo regions, identified as key smuggling corridors.

As concerns grow over the impact of smuggling on the current season, the government is banking on more competitive producer prices to curb the trend. “I don't think smuggling is a problem today because everything depends on pricing, and our prices are now competitive,” Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku said on October 21 during the Norman Borlaug International Dialogue on Food Security in Iowa, USA.

Earlier in October, Ghana raised its farmgate price to 58,000 cedis ($5,342) per ton, or $5.3 per kilogram, higher than Côte d’Ivoire’s 2,800 CFA ($4.96) and Togo’s 2,405 CFA ($4.25).

COCOBOD also introduced a new incentive to deter smuggling, alongside tighter border controls. In a statement issued October 8, the regulator said any informant or officer involved in seizing illegal cocoa will now receive one-third of the confiscated product’s market value, a move aimed at encouraging community participation in enforcement.

However, some observers note that similar measures in the past did not significantly reduce smuggling volumes, calling for a rethink of the strategy.

For the 2025/2026 season, Ghana targets cocoa output above 650,000 tons, supported by favorable weather, efforts against the Swollen Shoot Virus, and reduced illegal mining. Whether the new anti-smuggling measures will sustain these gains by the end of the season in September 2026 remains to be seen.