Ghana’s Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) Limited has secured firm purchase agreements from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. These agreements are for Ghana’s semi-finished cocoa products including cocoa liquor, butter, cake, and powder.
These commitments aim to guarantee demand for products from Ghana’s current, underutilized cocoa grinding capacity. The deals specifically support President John Dramani Mahama’s directive for 50% local processing of cocoa beans. By securing buyers before production increases, CMC plans to convert higher domestic processing into reliable export earnings. This strategy prevents unsold stock and strengthens the commercial aspect of Ghana’s value addition efforts.
This initiative fits Ghana's broader economic strategy to increase the value of its exports. Traditionally, Ghana primarily exported raw cocoa beans. The move towards processing more beans domestically aims to capture a larger share of the global cocoa value chain. Recent data highlights the importance of diversifying export markets and reducing reliance on traditional European buyers. This diversification also provides more stability for Ghana's cocoa sector.
Dr. Wisdom Kofi Dogbey, CMC Managing Director, secured these commitments during meetings with leading Gulf commodities institutions. He noted that guaranteed demand for processed products will bring idle processing capacity into full use. In Dubai, Dr. Dogbey met with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre’s (DMCC) leadership. Mr. Ahmad Hamza, a senior DMCC executive, described the expanded cocoa export into the UAE as a “win-win.” He explained the DMCC provides an environment for members to operate seamlessly, citing their successful coffee and tea memberships.
For Ghana, the DMCC serves as a gateway for semi-finished cocoa into larger Middle Eastern and Asian markets. This expands Ghana's customer base, which has largely focused on European grinders. In Riyadh, further engagements resulted in commitments to import Ghanaian cocoa into Saudi Arabia. This supports the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 food-sustainability goals. Anchoring cocoa supply within Saudi Arabia’s food-security agenda gives Ghana a long-term buyer.
The value-addition mandate does not require building new factories. Instead, it leverages existing processing capacity that is currently underused. Officials confirmed that guaranteed product off-take will fully utilize this idle capacity. This increases domestic conversion without the risk of producing volumes without an assured market. CMC, as the sole authorized exporter, is shifting its role under Dr. Dogbey. It is moving from marketing raw beans to building commercial partnerships for expanded grinding. These Gulf commitments mark a significant step in this transition. They signal confidence in Ghana's value-addition agenda from two rapidly growing markets.