Indexing government scandals one at a time
Ghana is heading for its smallest cocoa crop in 12 years after drought withered pods and illegal gold miners damaged plantations, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
Preliminary data shows the world’s second-largest producer will harvest an estimated 685,000 tons of beans in the season through September, down from a record crop of about 1.05 million tons the previous year, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorized to speak publicly.
Ghana’s cocoa regulator had originally forecast a crop of 950,000 tons this year, but the harvest was hit by long dry spells early in the season. In addition, more than 19,000 hectares, or about 2% of cocoa plantations, have been destroyed by so-called galamsey -- small-scale miners who often operate illegally, the Ghana Cocoa Board said in May. Some farms are also reeling from the impact of the swollen shoot virus disease that hit them three years ago.
July 30, 2022
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