Editorial: Cocoa farmer-group endorses new producer price

The Ghana Cocoa, Coffee and Sheanut Farmers Association (COCOSHE), the largest cocoa farmers’ group, has endorsed the new producer price of GH¢3,228.75 per 64kg bag for the 2025/2026 season, describing the adjustment as a step in the right direction.

COCOSHE expressed appreciation to government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for what it called a responsive policy that reflects the contributions of farmers to the national economy.

The new rate, equivalent to GH¢51,660 per tonne, represents 70 percent of the achieved Free-on-Board (FoB) price for the season. This marks a notable increase from the previous season’s 63.9 percent share.

“In the face of a stronger cedi, it would have been easy to cut prices but government chose to support farmers,” said Alhaji Alhassan Bukari, national president of COCOSHE. This decision underscores a commitment to the welfare of farmers and sustainability of the sector, he added.

He acknowledged that during the final quarter of the 2024/2025 season, COCOBOD maintained the producer price at GH¢3,100 per bag despite exchange rate movements that might have pressured a downward revision.

COCOSHE, however, is calling for the reintroduction of input subsidies such as free fertiliser, insecticides and fungicides as well as deployment of spraying machines.

These interventions – expected to begin in the 2025/2026 crop year, the association says – are essential to boosting productivity and farmer income. Farmers also welcomed the Ghana Cocoa Traceability System, which is aimed at improving global market compliance – including with the European Union Deforestation Regulation.

COCOSHE praised plans for a new tertiary scholarship scheme for children of cocoa farmers, expected to launch in the 2026/2027 academic year. The group also wants greater investment in extension services and education around the new traceability system.

In a related development, the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI) congratulated government on officially opening its 2025/2026 cocoa season and its announcement of a new producer price.

CIGC applauded the bold step as an essential contribution in ongoing efforts to create a more equitable and sustainable global cocoa market.

For the past four years, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana – representing over 60% of global cocoa production – have worked in close collaboration to align policies on farmgate pricing, market transparency and value distribution.

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