ana, maintain that cocoa farmers in Ghana cultivate cocoa on less than 5 hectares of land, and cocoa beans production in Ghana is averagely 800,000 tons. Ghana cultivates criollo variety of cocoa in large quantities. Ghana is the second most important producer of cocoa among other major producers in West Africa and the World at large (see Chart 6). Ghana‟s production volumes account for almost 17% of the aggregate world supply. Ghana‟s total production increased from 116,000 tons in 1999 to over 400,000 tons in the year 2000 and 2001. Although there was a drop in 2002 by nearly 1000 tons, growth in cocoa production rebounded strongly in 2003, due to the record-high world prices, increased subsidies and profits of farmers, and other tentative strategies such as; extended disinfection exercise, and innovative and improved technologies to enhance the acceptance and utilization of chemical fertilizer by the Ghana COCOBOD to enhance cocoa production. Cocoa beans output from Ghana fluctuated in the range of over 600,000 and 700,000 tons between 2004 and 2010. In 2011and 2012, cocoa production volume stood at 700,020 tons and 879,348 tons respectively, but dropped to about 835,466 tons and 835,8720 tons in 2013 and 2014 respectively, and maintained a stable 858,720 tons between the years of 2015- 2016. Production volumes, however, had a boost again in the year 2017 and 2018, with a total production volume of 883,654 tons and 947,632 tons respectively. Compared with Cote d‟Ivoire, Ghana‟s cocoa yields and production are relatively low. Cote d‟Ivoire from the year 2013- 2015, consistently witnessed an increase in production volume of 1,448,992 tons, 1,613,241 tons, and 1,796,000 tons respectively for the three years. Although Cote d‟ Ivoire saw a decline in production volume in the year 2016, it rebounded in the year 2017 with the highest record in production volume of about 203,4000 tons. This further broadens the gap between Ghana and Cote d‟ Ivoire in terms of production volumes. Ghana has a vast difference of over 60 percent, to cover up in terms of production volume to be competitive enough (74).
CHAPTER FIVE (5) SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION
5.2 Summary
The study basically analyzed the export competitiveness of Ghana‟s cocoa industry in West Africa. The study did a comparative analysis of the performance of eight cocoa producing countries in West Africa in terms of production and export. Also, the study calculate Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) and Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) of Ghana, Cote d‟ Ivoire, Cameroon, Nigeria, Seirra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Togo to determines their comparative advantage in the export of cocoa.
The results show that Ghana‟s Cocoa beans production represents over one-fifth of world cocoa production. Cocoa is cultivated by over 1.6 million smallholder farmers on less than 5 hectares of land in Ghana. Cocoa beans production in Ghana is averagely 800,000 tons. Ghana is currently the second most important producer of cocoa among other major producers in West Africa and the World at large. Ghana‟s production volumes contribute a little over 17% of the aggregate world supply. The results further show that Ghana‟s&
