Cocoa Marketing Company Ghana launches 24-hour operations

The Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has launched a 24-hour operational model to streamline the cocoa supply chain. The initiative, introduced in Tema, is structured around three pillars: ‘Offload 24’, ‘Load 24’, and ‘Export 24’.

This new system aims to eliminate bottlenecks by extending the reception of beans from licensed buying companies, ensuring continuous supply to local processing plants, and accelerating export preparations, including inspection, sealing, and documentation. By aligning warehouse and terminal operations with the around-the-clock schedules of ports and shipping lines, the CMC intends to reduce vehicle queues, improve infrastructure utilization, and minimize vessel demurrage costs.

CMC Managing Director Wisdom Kofi Dogbey noted that the move addresses delays previously caused by the closure of warehouses during non-traditional working hours. COCOBOD Chief Executive Dr. Randy Abbey added that the three-shift system will increase handling capacity and expedite the issuance of takeover receipts, which ultimately facilitates faster payments to cocoa farmers.