Chocolate runs out ahead of February 14, Ghana's 'National Chocolate Day'

Ghana’s Cocoa Processing Company (CPC) in the second largest city, of Kumasi in the the Ashanti Region, is reporting of shortage of chocolates ahead of February 14, Valentine’s Day.

The day is referred to in Ghana as ‘National Chocolate Day,’ an initiative taken by government few years ago to highlight the nutritional benefits of the cocoa product.

But retailers and chocolate consumers are getting upset and disappointed at the turn of events especially with hours to the celebration. Cocoa is at the heart of Ghana’s economy.

An official in the region explained that the company was experiencing technical chanllenges which affected their production of the chocolates and other related products.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) quoted a businesswoman in the region saying that her business was going to be affected due to the lack of chocolates. She also admitted that cocoa products tend to have high patronage in the month of February.

Until neighboring Ivory overtook Ghana as the largest cocoa producer on the continent, the country held that title for decades. History has it that the first cocoa seeds were brought to Ghana from the Cameroonian island of Fernando Po by one Tetteh Quarshie.

Ghana’s chocolates have wide global acclaim for their natural and distinct taste. The flagship brand is the Golden Tree Kingsbite Milk Chocolate. The CPC has gone on to introduce other flavours over the years.

Aside chocolates, the CPC also produces cocoa products like pebbles, natural cocoa powder, chocolate butter spread and instant drinking chocolate mixture.