The Produce Buying Company (PBC) has ordered Atlas Commodities and other Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to immediately vacate its depots and sheds following the discovery of unauthorised operations in the Volta Region and other parts of Ghana.

In a statement released in Accra, the PBC said Atlas Commodities had engaged in “clandestine collaboration” with certain PBC staff to use the company’s tools and facilities for private business without approval.

The company stressed that such operations are strictly prohibited.

PBC management emphasised that while healthy competition is vital for a sustainable cocoa sector, any LBC wishing to use PBC logistics must do so through formal channels and with approval from executive management.

The recent dispute with Atlas Commodities, the statement noted, highlights a broader concern about private LBCs exploiting PBC assets through unofficial means.

To safeguard the integrity of the cocoa supply chain, PBC called on COCOBOD to enforce regulations requiring all LBCs to maintain physical offices in their operational areas.

This measure, the company said, will reduce the risk of farmers being short-changed on payments for their cocoa.

PBC further advised LBCs that have received payments from COCOBOD to promptly settle debts owed to farmers, warning that defaulters would be reported to the regulator for sanctions.

Amid the tensions, the company appealed to cocoa farmers, particularly in the Volta Region, to remain calm, assuring them that their interests will be protected and that no actions will be allowed to result in a loss of income.

The PBC reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with COCOBOD, Ghanaian cocoa farmers, and other stakeholders in the cocoa industry, provided all future collaborations follow due process and formal agreements.