Ghana is expanding its strategy to add more value to its cocoa industry after the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC), the marketing subsidiary of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), secured export agreements with partners in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for semi-processed cocoa products.

The agreements mark a significant step in Ghana’s efforts to diversify its export markets while reducing its reliance on raw cocoa bean exports. They cover higher-value cocoa products, including cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder and cocoa cake, providing Ghanaian processors with new commercial opportunities in the rapidly growing Gulf market.

The move reflects the government's broader strategy to strengthen domestic cocoa processing and capture a larger share of the global cocoa value chain, where most profits have traditionally been generated outside producing countries.

As the world's second-largest cocoa producer, Ghana has long sought to increase local processing and reduce its dependence on exporting unprocessed cocoa beans.

For decades, much of the country's cocoa harvest has been shipped abroad for processing into chocolate and other finished products, limiting the economic benefits retained within Ghana.

By expanding exports of semi-processed cocoa products, the government aims to generate higher export earnings, create industrial jobs and encourage further investment in the country's processing sector.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are becoming increasingly attractive destinations for value-added food products, supported by rising consumer demand and their growing role as regional trade and logistics hubs.

The new agreements provide Ghana with access to these expanding markets while diversifying export destinations beyond its traditional European and North American customers.

The partnerships are also expected to strengthen Ghana's trade ties with the Gulf region and improve the country's resilience to shifts in demand across established cocoa markets.

Beyond expanding exports, the initiative is designed to enhance the competitiveness of Ghana's cocoa sector by supporting local processing capacity and encouraging industrial development.

The government sees value addition as a key driver of long-term economic growth, allowing the country to retain a greater share of the wealth generated by one of its most important export commodities.

The strategy also supports broader efforts to develop manufacturing, increase skilled employment and strengthen Ghana's position in global agricultural value chains.

Ghana's latest initiative reflects a wider shift across Africa, where commodity-producing countries are increasingly seeking to process more of their natural resources domestically rather than exporting raw materials.

Although Africa produces nearly 70% of the world's cocoa, the continent captures only a small share of the value generated by the global chocolate industry.

By securing new markets for semi-processed cocoa products, Ghana is taking another step toward building a more integrated and competitive cocoa industry while positioning itself as a leading supplier of higher-value cocoa products to international markets.