Ghana’s cocoa output expected to exceed 650,000 tons in 2025/26 season 

GHANA – Ghana’s cocoa production for the 2025/26 season is projected to surpass the government’s initial forecast of 650,000 metric tons, supported by favorable weather, improved disease management, and extensive farm rehabilitation initiatives.  

Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku said the country’s early harvest results have been encouraging, with significant progress made in combating cocoa diseases such as the swollen shoot virus.  

“Initial yields from the main crop have been good, and diseases are better controlled,” Opoku told Reuters.  

Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer after Côte d’Ivoire, recorded an estimated 500,000 tons in the 2024/25 season, one of the lowest in recent years. Production had been hampered by poor weather, crop diseases, and illegal mining, which damaged farmlands.  

According to Opoku, government-led efforts to rehabilitate affected farms and curb illegal mining are showing tangible results. “We are making gains in fighting illegal mining, and renovation work in impacted farms is yielding positive outcomes,” he stated.  

Global cocoa prices, which hit a record high above US$12,000 per ton late last year, have recently declined but remain favorable for producers.  

Opoku said Ghana’s revised farmgate price of US$4,640 per ton would ensure fair compensation for farmers and discourage smuggling to neighboring countries.  

“I don’t think smuggling will be a problem now, because our prices are competitive,” he said, noting that past smuggling incidents were driven by price disparities across borders.  

Ghana’s government also aims to expand local cocoa processing to capture greater export value through products such as cocoa butter and powder. Currently, less than 30% of the country’s beans are processed domestically.  

Earlier this month, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) reaffirmed its commitment to providing timely access to fertilizers and farm inputs to improve productivity. 

COCOBOD Head of Public Affairs, Jerome K. Sam, emphasized that consistent input supply is key to supporting farmers’ livelihoods and boosting national output.  

Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson recently announced a second farmgate price increase this year, raising the rate from 51,660 cedis to 58,000 cedis (US$4,640) per ton, a 12% adjustment aimed at sustaining farmer incomes and discouraging cross-border cocoa smuggling.  

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