Ghana maintains cocoa producer prices for 2026 light crop season  

GHANA – The Government of Ghana, through the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has announced that cocoa producer prices will remain unchanged for the 2026 Light Crop Season despite declining international cocoa prices. 

Purchases for the new season are scheduled to officially begin on June 18, 2026. According to a statement signed by COCOBOD’s Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control, Dr Francis Baah, the producer price for Grade I and II cocoa beans will remain at GH¢41,241.76 per load of 30 kilograms and GH¢2,587.00 per bag of 64 kilograms gross. 

The price per tonne, equivalent to 16 bags, will also remain unchanged at GH¢41,392.00. 

COCOBOD said the move reflects the government’s commitment to safeguarding farmers’ incomes amid weakening global cocoa prices. 

“The decision underscores the government’s commitment to protecting the incomes and livelihoods of cocoa farmers, even as international cocoa prices experience a downward trend,” the statement said. 

According to the Board, maintaining the current producer price is intended to provide stability and confidence for farmers ahead of the commencement of the light crop season. 

The announcement has been communicated to Licensed Buying Companies, COCOBOD management, relevant ministries and other industry stakeholders to facilitate a smooth start to cocoa purchases nationwide. 

Ghana andCôte d’Ivoire Push for Greater Value Addition 

Meanwhile, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have renewed calls for increased local processing and industrialisation to ensure cocoa-producing countries capture a larger share of the value generated by the global chocolate industry. 

The appeal emerged from the seventh meeting of the Steering Committee of the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI), whose conclusions were presented by Ghana’s Minister for Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, during the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana High-Level Summit on the Future of the Cocoa Economy. 

“Africa produces 80% of the world’s cocoa but captures a negligible share of the sector’s profits,” the committee said. 

The committee described the situation as unsustainable and called for accelerated investment in processing capacity, regional trade and domestic consumption of cocoa products. 

“The Steering Committee emphasized that greater value addition will contribute to job creation, industrial development, export diversification, and better retention of income within producing countries,” Forson said. 

Officials noted that although Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire account for the majority of global cocoa production, much of the crop is exported in raw or semi-processed form, with most high-value activities taking place in Europe, North America and Asia. 

The committee said strengthening local industry would be essential to building a more resilient and prosperous cocoa economy capable of delivering greater returns to producing countries and farmers. 

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