Cocoa smuggling blooms just like drug smuggling

Rising cocoa prices are driven by smuggling grain from the Central of the Slurious Bone and Ghana, two largest producers in the world – the Financial Times said on Saturday, comparing this practice to the activities of cocaine cartels in Colombia.

The newspaper said that international cocoa prices have increased by over 10,000 in recent months. hole. for a ton, which means more than three times from the beginning of 2023. As a reason, it indicates climate change and diseases that destroy plantations. Smuggling mainly affects the grains from the ivory coast and ghana, which together are responsible for two -thirds of world cocoa.

As “FT” determined, Farmers sell grain to intermediaries, who then smuggle them to neighboring countries, including Burkin Faso, Togo and Sierra Leone, where it is sold at market prices. These countries record an increase in exports, although there are almost no plantations there. Then illegal grain goes to large processing enterprises, including in Belgium and the Netherlands, from where it is then sold to chocolate and confectionery producers around the world.

“This is a proven and tested smuggling route,” he said in an interview with the British newspaper, a former cocoa trader Nicko Debenham. In his opinion, the same smuggling trails were previously used to finance weapons and rebels during civil wars on the ivory coast.

According to government data, in the years 2023-2024 about 150,000 were smuggled from Ghana. tons of cocoa beans, which according to some estimates is up to 25 percent. domestic production, and another 200,000 The tons were smuggled from the ivory coast. In this last country, cocoa exports accounts for about 15-20 percent. GDP.

To curb this smuggling practice, both Akra and Abidjan since 2023 have increased the purchase prices of cocoa beans over twice. However, according to growers and economists, these increases are far from the expected level. As an example, “FT” gives a price in Ghana, where farmers currently receive around $ 4,800. They can get twice as much for a ton of cocoa, au smugglers.

The government in Abidjan in 2024 recognized cocoa smuggling as an economic crime and extended the authorities to initiate legal proceedings against trader. However, according to the British newspaper, the biggest problem is the fight against corruption. Only at the beginning of this year, five high officials, including the Police Commissioner, the head of the Customs Service and the prefect of the city, from the border city of Sipilou in the west of the ivory coast were detained for allegedly taking bribes from smugglers.

From London Marta Zabłocka (PAP)

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