Ghana’s licensed cocoa‑buying companies are reported to owe banks up to $750 million, raising concerns about mounting liquidity pressures in the industry. Samuel Adimado, President of the Licensed Cocoa Buyers Association of Ghana, says the debt burden has grown partly because Cocobod, the country’s cocoa regulator, has increasingly channelled funds into non‑core activities such as road construction. As a result, licensed buyers have had to rely more heavily on bank loans to pre‑finance cocoa‑bean purchases.

Innocent Semosa spoke to the Economist and CEO of the innovation hub Agrico Hub, George Antwi‑Boasiako.