{
  "id": 19758440,
  "title": "‘Come and buy our cocoa beans, but add value here in Ghana’ –Ato Forson",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/come-and-buy-our-cocoa-beans-but-add-value-here-in-ghana-ato-forson",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-13T04:54:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/come-and-buy-our-cocoa-beans-but-add-value-here-in-ghana-ato-forson/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has called on international cocoa buyers to invest in processing beans within Ghana instead of exporting them for processing elsewhere. Speaking after presenting the 2027 Budget to Parliament, Dr. Forson emphasized the need for Ghana to transition from raw bean exports to adding value locally. \"We are not saying don’t come and buy our cocoa beans, but if you are a company out there, come and buy our cocoa beans, but add value here in Ghana,\" he stated. The minister argued that the country's reliance on importing finished food products, such as sugar, rice, and vegetables, at an annual cost of $3.5 billion, is unsustainable. Dr. Forson pointed to a recent visit to Bangkok for the World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings, where he was impressed by the value-added cocoa products being produced, such as chocolate and cocoa cognac. He also mentioned that the new Cocoa Board Act, which requires Cocoa Board to process 50% of its cocoa locally, has been passed by Parliament. A follow-up Legislative Instrument will set a timeline for achieving full processing locally by 2030. Discussions are ongoing about a proposed arrangement involving 500,000 metric tonnes of cocoa for local processing, with Dangote identified as a potential investor. The minister's push for local processing is part of a broader strategy to modernize agriculture and reduce dependency on imported food.",
  "summary": "Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has urged international cocoa buyers to process beans in Ghana, as the government pursues plans to increase local processing to 50% by 2028 and 100% by 2030. Speaking in an interview on Thursday after presenting the 2027 Budget to Parliament, he said Ghana must move beyond exporting raw beans […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Joy Business",
        "title": "Dangote eyes 500,000-tonne cocoa processing deal in Ghana – Ato Forson",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/dangote-eyes-500-000-tonne-cocoa-processing-deal-in-ghana-ato-forson-19751015",
        "published": "2026-11-13T00:17:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}