Confusion, political controversy, and institutional breakdown are clouding Ghana’s cocoa industry as the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) faces heavy backlash for its failure to announce a new producer price for the 2025/2026 season.
At the heart of the uproar is a growing divide between government promises and policy execution, leaving cocoa farmers in limbo at a critical point in the agricultural calendar.
In an official statement, COCOBOD has called on the public and media to disregard all reports suggesting that a decision had been made on the new cocoa price.
According to the statement, the current administrative structure does not permit any such announcement, as key decision-making bodies are nonfunctional.
“There is currently no Board of Directors in place, meaning there is no authority to make or approve such a crucial decision,” the statement noted.
Additionally, the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), responsible for determining and recommending the new price, has not yet been convened.
The Board’s announcement has raised serious concerns about governance and oversight within one of Ghana’s most vital economic institutions.
With no clear timeline for restoring these structures, stakeholders fear further delays could impact farmer morale, production planning, and the broader cocoa economy.
Broken Promises
The controversy comes just months after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won power on a platform that included strong promises to support cocoa farmers.
The party pledged to increase the cocoa producer price significantly—raising farmers’ earnings to at least 70% of the world market price.
On February 16, 2025, Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku echoed this promise in a public Facebook post, stating: “This increase is intended to motivate farmers, boost production, and further cement Ghana’s standing as the world’s second-largest producer of cocoa.”
Yet just weeks later, in a communique dated April 3, 2025, COCOBOD informed the Licensed Cocoa Buyers’ Association of Ghana (LICOBAG) that no increase would be made.
The letter, signed by Acting Deputy Chief Executive for Operations, Dr. James Kofi Kutsoati, confirmed that Ghana would maintain the existing producer price—despite global price hikes and a recent farm gate price increase in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire.
The announcement has been widely interpreted as a betrayal of trust. Critics accuse the government and COCOBOD of political deception and say the delay is not just administrative but intentional, with real-world consequences for struggling cocoa farmers.
Farmer Discontent
The response from the farming community has been swift and severe. Many feel they were misled by the ruling party’s campaign rhetoric and are now bearing the brunt of policy inaction.
“This is political blackmail,” said a farmer.
He added “The government won votes on promises to improve our livelihoods. Now, not only are prices stagnant, but COCOBOD itself admits it can’t function properly.”
The frustration is compounded by broader structural challenges.
Ghanaian cocoa farmers continue to grapple with poor infrastructure, high input costs, climate-related unpredictability, and declining yields.
Agriculture Minister Opoku himself acknowledged the sector’s decline in his earlier remarks, citing the Cocoa Processing Company’s output plunge from 6,614 tonnes in 2023 to just 2,886 tonnes in 2024—despite a processing capacity of 64,500 tonnes.
