The government has instructed the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to advance the start of the upcoming 2023/2024 season, effective from Friday, September 8, 2023. This directive, as announced by Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Chief Executive, in a statement issued in Accra, is in response to recent disruptions in the internal cocoa market and is aimed at protecting the interests of cocoa farmers.
The official opening ceremony for the new season is scheduled for Saturday, September 9, 2023. Consequently, the 2023 Light Crop Season concluded at the close of business on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
“In order to assist the Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to obtain the final returns from up-country, Ghana Cocoa Board has decided that returns on the declared purchases will be accepted up to 1600 hours on Thurday September 7, 2023,” it said.
It stated that everyone was to strictly comply with the foregoing arrangements and take note of them.