Ghana secures UAE, Saudi markets for semi-finished cocoa products in major boost for value-addition agenda

In a landmark development for Ghana’s cocoa sector, the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) Ghana Limited has secured firm offtake commitments from buyers in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for the country’s semi-finished cocoa products.

The agreements, signed on July 7, 2026, cover a comprehensive range of products including cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa cake and cocoa powder. They are expected to guarantee demand for output from Ghana’s existing cocoa processing facilities, marking a significant step in the country’s long-awaited transition from raw bean exporter to value-added producer.

A Strategic Shift Beyond Raw Beans

For decades, Ghana – the world’s second-largest cocoa producer after Ivory Coast – has exported the bulk of its harvest as raw beans, capturing only a fraction of the global cocoa value chain. Official data shows that more than 60% of Ghana’s annual cocoa harvest is still exported in raw form.

That model is now being overhauled. The new Gulf agreements, secured through engagements led by CMC Managing Director Dr. Wisdom Dogbey, are designed to diversify Ghana’s cocoa export destinations beyond traditional European buyers and create sustainable markets for value-added cocoa products.

The move aligns directly with President John Dramani Mahama’s ambitious target of processing at least 50 per cent of Ghana’s cocoa locally, beginning with the 2026/2027 crop season. By locking in buyers before output ramps up, CMC is closing one of the mandate’s biggest commercial gaps: ensuring that higher domestic grindings convert into secured export earnings rather than unsold stock.

Dubai: A Gateway to the Middle East and Asia

In Dubai, the CMC delegation held strategic discussions with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), one of the world’s largest commodities trading hubs. The DMCC’s existing coffee and tea ecosystem, which links producers, traders and manufacturers in a fully integrated model, was highlighted as a possible template for developing a similar cocoa platform.

Ahmad Hamza, a senior DMCC executive, described the proposed push to expand cocoa exports into the UAE as a “win-win”. He said a dedicated DMCC cocoa membership would boost exports of Ghanaian cocoa derivatives to the centre’s established base of processors and traders. For Ghana, DMCC offers a gateway to route semi-finished cocoa into wider Middle Eastern and Asian markets, diversifying a customer base long concentrated among European grinders.

Riyadh: Aligning with Vision 2030

In Riyadh, further engagements produced commitments to import Ghanaian cocoa into Saudi Arabia in support of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 food-sustainability and economic diversification goals. Saudi Arabia’s expanding confectionery and food-processing sectors make the Kingdom an increasingly significant destination for value-added cocoa.

Anchoring cocoa supply within Saudi Arabia’s food-security agenda gives Ghana a strategically aligned, long-term buyer for its semi-finished products. Saudi Arabia’s chocolate market alone is valued at an estimated $1.3 billion, representing a substantial opportunity for Ghanaian exports.

Tackling Underutilised Processing Capacity

A major challenge facing Ghana’s value-addition push has been the significant gap between installed processing capacity and actual utilisation. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that processors in the country handled an average of about 220,000 metric tons of cocoa beans annually between 2023 and 2025, while installed processing capacity was estimated at nearly 505,000 metric tons in 2025.

The Gulf offtake agreements are designed specifically to address this gap. CMC officials emphasised that the government’s local processing agenda is focused largely on maximising existing industrial capacity rather than relying solely on building new factories. Guaranteed offtake for processed products is intended to bring idle capacity into fuller use, increasing domestic conversion without the risk of producing volumes that have no assured market.

A Growing Success Story

The initiative comes as processed cocoa exports continue to grow rapidly. In 2025, exports of cocoa liquor, butter, powder and cake generated $1.8 billion in revenue, up 90 per cent from the previous year, according to data from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority. The new markets in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are expected to support further export revenue growth over the coming years.

As sales in these markets expand, Ghana could capture a larger share of value from the global cocoa trade, strengthening its position in negotiations over cocoa premiums and market access.

What This Means for Farmers

If demand continues to grow along the trajectories anticipated by both Gulf partners, cocoa farmers could ultimately benefit from stronger prices and better returns. By capturing more value through domestic processing and securing reliable international demand for semi-finished products, Ghana is positioning itself to retain a greater share of the revenue generated from its cocoa – revenue that can be reinvested into the sector and, critically, into the livelihoods of the farmers who sustain it.

A Milestone for Ghana’s Cocoa Future

CMC described the agreements as an important milestone in its strategy to diversify Ghana’s cocoa markets and ensure that investments in local processing are backed by sustainable global demand. The company noted that securing reliable international demand for semi-finished cocoa products is critical to promoting value addition, reducing reliance on exports of raw cocoa beans, and enhancing returns from Ghana’s cocoa industry.

“These engagements mark an important step in CMC’s drive to diversify Ghana’s cocoa markets, increase the utilization of domestic processing capacity and ensure that value addition is supported by real and sustainable global demand,” CMC said in a statement.

As the sole authorised exporter of Ghana’s cocoa, CMC’s role is shifting under Dr Dogbey’s leadership from marketing raw beans to building the commercial partnerships that ensure expanded grindings are matched by real demand. The Gulf commitments represent a significant step in that transition, and a signal of confidence in Ghana’s value-addition agenda from two of the world’s fastest-growing markets.