The Ghana Cocoa Board is worried smuggling of Cocoa into Ghana from Ivory Coast could intensify due to the ban imposed on the export of beans from that country. Three days ago, the internationally recognized Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara ordered a freeze on the export of the beans in a bid to tighten the financial squeeze on his rival Laurent Gbagbo. Already COCOBOD is saddled with the challenge of deterring smuggling of cocoa from Ivory Coast because it could adulterate the famed quality of the Ghanaian produce. Chief Executive Anthony Fofie however told Joy Business the current ban would make their work a lot more difficult. He said last year Ghana’s cocoa sector suffered because of smuggling from Ghana to Ivory Coast as a result of price differentials and predicts that smuggling from that country could again undermine Ghana’s resolve to make the best out of the product. Mr Fofie is however hopeful that the ban in Ivory Coast may force prices up on the international market from which Ghana stands to benefit. Source: Joy News/Ghana