The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on the government to immediately review upward the new farm gate price of cocoa at GHS3,228.75 per bag of 64kg announced for the 2025/2026 crop season.
According to the group, this price represents a paltry 4% increase over the prevailing market price of GHS3,100.00 describing the government’s action as “Sakawa,” a term that translates to deceit.
Cocoa is a vital crop for Ghana’s economy, accounting for a significant portion of the country’s foreign exchange earnings and supporting the livelihoods of millions of Ghanaians.
The industry provides employment opportunities for farmers, labourers and other stakeholders, contributing to the country’s economic growth and development.
However, the recent price announcement has sparked concerns among cocoa farmers and stakeholders.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, August 4, 2025 Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, MP for Offinso South and Ranking Member of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, stated that the new price would not motivate cocoa farmers or prevent them from smuggling or giving their cocoa farms to galamsey operators.
The Minister of Finance, Dr.CassielAtoForson, had announced on Monday, August 4, 2025 that the producer price of cocoa beans increased from GHS49,600 per tonne to GHS51,660 per tonne, with a target to produce about 650,000 tonnes for the 2025/2026 crop season.
The increment represented GHS3,228.75 per bag of 64kg gross weight of cocoa.
The Finance Minister noted that the increment further represented a 70% of the gross Free-On-Board (FOB) value of US$7,200 per tonne, stressing that the new price was at the back of a strong Ghana Cedi and declining inflation, reflecting government’s commitment to improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
However, the Minority contends that the new producer price of cocoa does not reflect the prevailing world market price of US$8,211.23 per tonne. It does not also reflect the promises the government, led by John Dramani Mahama, made to cocoa farmers when they were in opposition campaigning for power in 2024.
“In the run-up to the 7th Presidential and Parliamentary elections, the then opposition members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by Eric Opoku, the then Ranking Member for Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee of Parliament – now Minister for Food and Agriculture and Cassiel Ato Forson, the then Minority Leader, now Minister of Finance, informed Ghanaians that cocoa farmers were being short-changed and that COCOBOD was cheating farmers big time.
“Eric Opoku, on various campaign platforms, including a meeting with cocoa farmers at Dadiesoaba in the Ahafo Region, consistently promised cocoa farmers a producer price of GHS6,000 per bag. Ato Forson on the other hand promised to pay cocoa farmers GHS7,000 per bag if they won power. What happened to these numerous promises?”, quizzed the Minority.
They added, “What also happened to the promise by John Dramani Mahama, the President, to pay 70% of the FOB price to farmers when he addressed farmers during his ‘Thank You’ tour in the Bono and Western North Regions?”
They added that if the government was committed to its promise of paying 70% of the FOB price, it would have pegged the 2025/2026 farm gate price of cocoa at GHS3,718 per 64kg.
The group noted that the new farm gate price of cocoa announced by the government falls short of GHS407 compared to Ghana’s neighboring country, La Cote d’Ivoire, which has pegged its 2025/2026 farm gate price of cocoa at GHS3,635 per 64kg bag.
This disparity could lead to cocoa smuggling and undermine the livelihoods of Ghanaian farmers.
“Cocoa farmers deserve far better for their toil and sacrifices for their enormous contribution to the economy of the country.
“The government must come again and offer a better price. Cocoa farmers matter and demand better. The deception must stop,” the group emphasised.
They noted that a more realistic price would not only benefit farmers, but also help to boost farmer morale, reduce poverty and promote sustainability.
By Stephen Larbi
The post Minority Reject New Producer Price Of Cocoa appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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