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Coffee, Cocoa Boards and Export Division to be merged

June 8, 2012

The Full Story

Cabinet has approved the rationalization of the regulatory aspects of the Coffee Industry Board, the Cocoa Industry Board and the Export Division, to be consolidated into one administrative structure.

Agriculture Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, who made the revelation during his recent budget presentation, said the Ministry is now in the process of recruiting a consultant, “with significant expertise and experience in institutional building and consolidation, to oversee this exercise”.

“It is our expectation that well before the end of this financial year, Cabinet will have before it, concrete proposals in relation to the organizational structure of this consolidated entity, proposals for redundancies, and recommendations in terms of legislative amendments to the three existing legislation to recognize this new entity,” he stated.

He said that having consolidated the regulatory functions of these three entities, the Ministry intends to package all their commercial assets with a view towards divestment.

He said that the process is advanced in the case of cocoa, with a contract signed with Deloite and Touché to oversee the divestment of the Government’s commercial cocoa assets.

A similar approach will be taken in respect of the commercial assets of the Export Division, he said “so that in the end, Government’s role will be restricted to regulation, research and extension where appropriate”.

It is the expectation that the proceeds realized from the divestment process will be used to promote the development of the respective crops along the value chain.

 

By Tracey Thompson

Last Updated: July 30, 2013

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