The International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) has predicted that the world cocoa production deficit will hit 60,000 tonnes in 2012/2013 production year, a major decrease from the 84,000 tonnes surplus in 2011/2012.
These drastic decreases in production could cause cocoa prices to soar for chocolate manufacturers and consumers.
In the ICCO quarterly bulletin of cocoa statistics, reports show an estimated 3.9 million tonnes in total world grindings, a decrease from the previous forecast of 4 million, reflecting the reduced estimate in world demand.
With 6.5 million cocoa farmers in Africa, South America and Asia, cocoa ranks as one of the top-10 agriculture commodities in the world, the Cacoa Genome Project reported.
Because of pests, diseases and weather, cocoa production has experienced serious losses in recent years, but the new genome sequence could help bring cocoa's numbers back up.
In May 2013, cocoa prices rose due to supply worries, and a similar pattern occurred in 2012 when cocoa prices hit a 9-month high during a time of shortage concerns.
A recent release of the cocoa genome sequence could lead to an accelerated breeding process for cocoa plants, resulting in higher yields despite current deficits, according to new research published in Genome Biology.
Researchers from Mars, Inc., the U.S. Department of Agriculture, IBM and various universities finished the entire sequence for Matina 1-6, the genome that will likely improve breeding processes for cocoa.
Ghana’s
cocoa production strategy
Government has identified key measures to sustain
annual cocoa production target of 800,000 and 1million metric tonnes.
The measures include continued payment of at
least 70 percent of the world market price of cocoa to farmers, and the
distribution of 20 million hybrid cocoa seedlings free of charge over the next
several years.
Government will again pursue the continued
application of the hi-tech system to increase yield per hectare. We are also
reviewing the current distribution system of subsidised inputs to ensure that
they reach the farmers directly.
Ghana Cocoa
Board (COCOBOD) has been supplying 20 million free cocoa seedlings to about
16,000 cocoa farmers to help restore overage tree stocks, improve yield, and
boost national revenue.
This intervention for farmers has the
potential to position the country to catch up with Ivory Coast, the world’s
leading cocoa producer, by 2015 if sustained.
The country, the world’s second-largest
cocoa producer, purchased 800,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans in the 2011/2012
crop season.
It is targetting 850,000 metric tonnes
in its 2012/2013
“This
programme is expected to span the next six years and will significantly
contribute to the regeneration of aged and disease-infected farms for increased
yield and sustenance of the livelihood of the farmers,” Mr. Noah Amenyah,
Manager Public Affairs at the Cocobod,
told B&FT
in a recent interview.
The distribution, which will be done
nation-wide in all cocoa-growing regions, including the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo,
Central , Eastern and the Western Regions, is part of the national cocoa
rehabilitation programme that aims to offer technical support and also increase
farmer’s income, as well as controlling diseases and pests affecting the trees.
He indicated that farmer-based support
including lining and pegging, with fertiliser support as well as general
extension services, will be made available to help improve the planting
material programme.
This will increase the average yield of
cocoa farms from 300kg per hectare to at least 1,000kg per hectare.
“Farmers who seek to take advantage of
this programme have been made to register, and will visit the farm to inspect
and take it from there. Farmers who have used the land for the cultivation of
cocoa before and have experienced bush fires and want to come back will also be
considered.”
Mr. Amenyah said: “We have already
initiated the cocoa diseases and pest control, and hi-tech programmes to drive
our agenda toward the one million tonnes target.”
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