Ghana cocoa farmers reject new producer price, cite unmet promises and rising costs

GHANA – The Ghana Civil-Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP) has rejected the government’s newly announced cocoa producer price for the 2025/2026 season, describing it as inadequate and unfair to farmers. 

At a press briefing in Accra, the platform stated that the increment fails to match the economic realities cocoa farmers face. The government recently set a new farmgate price at GH¢3,228.75 per 64-kilogram bag, up from GH¢3,100 last season, representing a 4.1% increase. This comes despite a 62% surge in the world market price, from US$3,100 to US$5,040 per tonne. 

According to GCCP, this marginal adjustment in cedi terms does little to cushion farmers against rising production costs.  

“This increment is insufficient within the current economic context. Farmers’ costs of production have gone up sharply, and this increase does little to improve their livelihoods,” said Issifu Issaka, National President of the Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers Association, a member of the platform. 

The group expressed disappointment that earlier promises by the President and the Minister of Agriculture — that farmers would receive 70% of the global market price — have not been fulfilled.  

Instead, the government continues to base calculations on the Free on Board (FoB) price, which significantly reduces farmers’ share of earnings. Issaka described this as a breach of trust and urged full transparency in the pricing mechanism. 

He added that cocoa farmers continue to face several challenges, including high input and labour costs, the impact of climate change, and crop diseases such as black pod. Cross-border smuggling also remains a concern, driven largely by price disparities between Ghana and neighbouring countries. 

The organisation welcomed the reinstatement of input supply programmes and the rollout of the Ghana Cocoa Traceability System to meet EU deforestation regulations. 

However, it cautioned that these interventions risk politicisation if not properly managed. GCCP also warned that most farmers are unaware of the traceability initiative, which could affect compliance with EU market requirements. 

To address these concerns, GCCP recommended periodic price reviews during the season to reflect global market trends and curb smuggling.  

The group also called for financial and policy support for local Licensed Buying Companies, improved access to affordable inputs, and greater investment in farmer education on sustainable practices. 

Additionally, it urged the government to improve rural infrastructure, including roads and storage facilities, to enhance market access and reduce post-harvest losses.  

The group reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for fair pricing and sustainable cocoa production, pledging to work with all stakeholders to protect the livelihoods of cocoa farmers. 

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