TRADITIONAL

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🍫 Ghana Cocoa Bean Profile (with a Focus on Fanteakwa District)

🇬🇭 General Ghanaian Cocoa Bean Profile:

• Species: Primarily Forastero, but Ghana’s Forastero is considered the best strain in the world due to ideal growing conditions.

• Bean Size: Medium to large-sized beans.

• Shell: Thick, strong shells — aids in better fermentation and lower damage rates during transport.

• Fat (Butter) Content: High — between 52% and 56% cocoa butter by bean weight. This is ideal for smooth, rich chocolates.

• Flavor Profile:

  • Strong chocolatey base notes.

  • Mild bitterness (pleasant, not harsh).

  • Low acidity compared to beans from other regions.

  • Nutty undertones.

  • Hints of earthy, woody, and slightly floral notes when well-fermented.

• Aroma: Clean, rich cocoa aroma with earthy depth.

🏞️ Special Note: Fanteakwa District Cocoa (Terroir Impact)

• Microclimate: Slightly higher elevations, moderate rainfall, fertile loamy soil.

• Effect on Beans:

  • More defined floral and woody notes compared to the denser forest regions.

  • Smoother mouthfeel in chocolate when processed minimally.

  • Possible hints of wild berries or light spice in some harvests (due to terroir variation and companion planting with other crops like plantain and yam).

• Preferred Usage:

  • Excellent for single-origin dark chocolates (70–85% cocoa).

  • Also superb for fine couverture due to balance of flavor and high butter content.

• Artisan Appeal: Because farmers hand-harvest and naturally ferment beans, small batch variances give authentic "vintage" qualities, similar to fine wine.

Ghanaian beans are prized for their "classic chocolate flavor" — which is why they are often used as the foundation in blends or featured as single-origin chocolate bars.

🇬🇭 Ghanaian Cocoa: A Benchmark for Quality

🌍 Global Standing

• Second-Largest Producer: Ghana contributes approximately 20% of global cocoa production, making it the second-largest producer after Côte d'Ivoire.

• Economic Significance: Cocoa accounts for about 30% of Ghana’s total foreign exchange earnings and contributes around 5-6% to the national GDP.

🏆 Quality Assurance

• Rigorous Quality Control: The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) inspects 100% of cocoa beans before export, ensuring only premium-grade beans enter the global market.

• Low Rejection Rate: Less than 2% of Ghanaian cocoa beans are rejected for quality issues, compared to higher rates in other major producing countries.

• Traditional Fermentation: Over 95% of Ghanaian cocoa farmers practice traditional fermentation methods, enhancing flavor and quality.

🌱 Sustainability and Certification

• Certified Production: Approximately 60% of Ghana’s cocoa exports are certified under sustainability programs like Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance.

• Sustainability Premium: Certified cocoa can command up to a 20% price premium on the global market due to rising demand for ethically sourced products.

🌄 Fanteakwa District: A Hidden Gem in Cocoa Production

📍 Geographic and Agricultural Profile

• Location: Situated in Ghana’s Eastern Region, Fanteakwa District boasts fertile soils and favorable climatic conditions ideal for cocoa cultivation.

• Traditional Farming Practices: Farmers in Fanteakwa primarily engage in hand-grown, traditional methods, ensuring natural ripening and eco-friendly cultivation.

🍫 Unique Flavor Profile

• Aromatic Beans: Cocoa from Fanteakwa is noted for its deep, earthy notes with mild floral undertones, making it ideal for chocolatiers seeking distinctive single-origin products.

📊 Recent Trends and Challenges

📉 Production Decline

• 2023/24 Season: Ghana experienced a significant drop in cocoa production, reaching a two-decade low of less than 550,000 metric tons, down from over 1 million tons in 2021.

• Contributing Factors: The decline is attributed to climate change, tree diseases, and extensive damage from illegal gold mining in cocoa-growing regions.

💰 Economic Impact

• Export Revenue: In 2024, Ghana's cocoa export earnings plummeted to $1.7 billion, the lowest in 15 years, marking a 25.4% decline from the previous year.

12.5 MT SPOT SALES

30 MT PREFINANCE

100 MT SUSTAINABILITY PLA

🇬🇭 General Ghanaian Cocoa Bean Profile:

• Species: Primarily Forastero, but Ghana’s Forastero is considered the best strain in the world due to ideal growing conditions.

• Bean Size: Medium to large-sized beans.

• Shell: Thick, strong shells — aids in better fermentation and lower damage rates during transport.

• Fat (Butter) Content: High — between 52% and 56% cocoa butter by bean weight. This is ideal for smooth, rich chocolates.

• Flavor Profile:

  • Strong chocolatey base notes.

  • Mild bitterness (pleasant, not harsh).

  • Low acidity compared to beans from other regions.

  • Nutty undertones.

  • Hints of earthy, woody, and slightly floral notes when well-fermented.

• Aroma: Clean, rich cocoa aroma with earthy depth.