The Minority Caucus in Parliament has issued a stern warning to the government over what it describes as a blatant betrayal of Ghana’s cocoa farmers, demanding an immediate upward adjustment of the cocoa producer price from GHS3,000 to GHS6,000 per 64kg bag.
At a press conference in Kumasi, the Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Dr Isaac Yaw Opoku, led a passionate call for government accountability. “They promised farmers GHS6,000 per bag. Now they claim they can’t increase the price. Were those just empty words for votes?” he questioned.
The Minority expressed outrage over what they termed a “shocking and highly disappointing” display of inconsistency by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), following contradictory statements made on April 8 and April 9, 2025.
On April 8, COCOBOD cited “operational challenges” for its inability to adjust the producer price. Less than 24 hours later, a second release cited new justifications.
The Caucus sees this as evidence of the government “shifting blame” rather than fulfilling its campaign commitments.
“COCOBOD and the current administration must stop shifting blame and deliver on the promises made to cocoa farmers,” Opoku emphasized.
During the 2024 election campaign, then opposition leader John Dramani Mahama pledged that an NDC government would raise the cocoa price to GHS6,000 per bag. Now in government, the Minority alleges that the NDC has “since backtracked on its promise, and instead issued contradictory statements in an attempt to skip being held accountable.”
Economic Sabotage
The Caucus warned that the current GHS3,000 per bag, though higher than in previous years, is still inadequate given prevailing global cocoa prices.
“The immediate past government set the cocoa producer price at GHS48,000 per tonne for the 2024/2025 crop season. That translates into GHS3,000 per 64kg bag,” Opoku noted. “But it’s not enough. Farmers deserve more.”
Pointing to COCOBOD’s reported purchase of over 560,000 tonnes of cocoa and over US$2 billion in receipts through the Bank of Ghana, the Minority insisted the agency “has both the economic size and capacity to absorb any financial strain resulting from a price hike.”
Regional Smuggling
The Minority also highlighted the growing threat of cocoa smuggling due to a widening price gap with Côte d’Ivoire. Ghana’s western neighbour recently raised its farmgate cocoa price by over 22%, placing their farmers’ earnings at the equivalent of over GHS3,600 per bag — significantly more than Ghanaian farmers currently earn.
According to the Minority, the recent 22.24% increase in cocoa prices in Côte d’Ivoire — from 1,800 CFA to 2,200 CFA per kilo — has significantly undermined Ghana’s competitiveness.
“At the current exchange rate, Ivorian farmers are receiving the equivalent of GHC3,635 per 64kg bag — a GHC535 difference per bag compared to Ghanaian farmers,” the group stated.
“The government must act now to protect our farmers and secure Ghana’s cocoa economy,” the Minority warned. “This is not just about economics, it’s about national security.”
They warned that if the price remains unchanged, farmers could abandon cocoa cultivation for illegal mining or smuggle their produce across the border in search of better earnings.
Immediate Action
In their concluding statement, the Minority was clear: “No more excuses. COCOBOD and the government must keep their promise and pay the Ghanaian cocoa farmer a minimum of GHS6,000 per bag.”
The Caucus insists the time for political rhetoric is over. The government, they argue, must act swiftly to protect Ghana’s cocoa industry — and the livelihoods of the farmers who sustain it.
