LONDON, July 6, 2024 – Mars Wrigley, the world’s largest chocolate manufacturer, has announced the development of a detection kit for Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease [CSSVD]. This kit aims to facilitate early detection of the virus in cocoa trees, and Mars Wrigley is seeking collaboration with the Ghana Cocoa Board [ COCOBOD ] for its implementation.
Ellen Jacobs, Global Corporate Affairs Manager for Cocoa at Mars Wrigley, disclosed this initiative during a recent briefing session with a delegation of Ghana’s national best cocoa farmers. The delegation was in the UK on an educational tour of key establishments in the global chocolate industry.
Jacobs congratulated the farmers and highlighted the critical role of cocoa as the primary raw material for Mars Wrigley. She emphasized the company’s commitment to positively impacting society through employment creation. However, she also expressed concern over the significant challenges posed by CSSVD, which affects many cocoa-producing countries, including Ghana.
Mars Wrigley is dedicated to creating a modern cocoa ecosystem to address issues within the cocoa supply chain. This commitment includes supporting cocoa farmers through research, fair pricing, and knowledge sharing to motivate increased cocoa production. “Mars Wrigley is committed to supporting cocoa farmers to transition from poverty to prosperity. Investing in cocoa research is crucial to tackling the problems farmers face in cocoa production,” Ms Jacobs added.
Fiifi Boafo, Head of Public Affairs at COCOBOD and leader of the delegation expressed gratitude to Mars Wrigley for hosting the farmers and providing a hands-on visit to the Mars Chocolate school.
He commended Mars Wrigley’s CSSVD detection technology as a significant step toward combating the virus and affirmed COCOBOD’s readiness to collaborate on this breakthrough.
The tour provided the farmers with practical knowledge of chocolate manufacturing processes, opportunities to interact with Mars Wrigley staff, and a platform to share their experiences.
https://thecooperator.news/cocoa-cooperatives-in-ghana-launch-forum-for-collective-action/
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