ICBC contributes to $1.7 billion syndicated receivables-backed trade finance facility to COCOBOD for its 2014/2015 crop season financing needs (Linked to Project ID#92553)

On September 11, 2014, a consortium of 20 financial institutions — including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Bank of China (BOC) — finalized a $1.5 billion receivables-backed trade finance facility (loan) agreement with Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), a state-owned enterprise and the world's second largest cocoa producer, for purchasing cocoa from farmers during the 2014/2015 crop season. The 20 participants in the loan syndicate included Barclays Bank PLC, Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank AG, KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH, Natixis, DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschafts bank Frankfurt am Main, Ghana International Bank plc, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Nedbank Limited, Rabobank International, Standard Bank Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Bank of China, BHF Bank, Credit Agricole, Ecobank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Intesa San Paolo, Société Générale, and Standard Chartered Bank. The borrowing terms included a 1-year repayment period, an interest rate of LIBOR plus 60 basis points, a commitment fee of 0.35%, and an upfront fee of 0.575%. The Government of Ghana issued a sovereign guarantee in support of the loan. The loan was also secured by (i.e. collateralized against) receivables from future cocoa sales contracts.

Additional details

1. AidData has estimated the all-in interest rate by adding 0.60% to the average 6-month LIBOR rate in September 2014 (0.330%). 2. The individual contributions of the banks that participated in the lending syndicate are unknown. For the time being, AidData assumes equal contributions ($85 million) across all 20 members of the syndicate, which implies that the total financial commitment from Chinese state-owned banks was $170 million (ICBC's contribution is captured via Project ID#92554 while BOC's is captured via project ID#92553. 3. Ghana’s cocoa production is regulated by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), an organization separate from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture that is wholly owned by the Government of Ghana. COCOBOD does not purchase any of the cocoa which is exported, but is responsible for assuring the quality of the product. To ensure the high quality of Ghana’s cocoa exports, the COCOBOD oversees horticulture practices and regulates the use of pesticides and fertilizer. In addition, COCOBOD sets the producer prices for cocoa farmers and, through a subsidiary, oversees the marketing of cocoa. The operations of the COCOBOD are funded through the receipt of a percentage of the revenue received from cocoa exports, but all profits after covering expenses are passed onto the Government of Ghana in the form of export taxes. 4. In August 2017, COCOBOD told the country’s parliament it was in financial distress due to obligations that included servicing China Eximbank loans for the Bui Dam Construction Project (captured via Project ID#183, ID#30801, ID#30709, and ID#30086). 5. The commitment fee is referred to in the source documentation as a ’35% on interest margin’. AidData has assumed that the 0.575% flat (upfront) fee is functionally equivalent to a management fee. 6. The security margin is the assignment of cocoa contracts for 110% of the facility amount. 7. This loan came with an additional $200 million available on demand for re-drawing from April 2015 to May 2015 for the light crop season.

Number of official sources

1

Number of total sources

7