Ghana’s cocoa farmers deserve more than a marginal increase in the producer price, with renewed calls for a pricing system that adequately reflects the rising cost of production and the sacrifices of farmers.
Isaac Kwame Amoah, Deputy Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Shama Constituency, made the call in an opinion piece on the 2026/2027 cocoa producer price, arguing that the welfare of the cocoa farmer must be placed at the centre of Ghana’s cocoa policy.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has increased the producer price from GH¢41,392 per tonne in the previous season to GH¢42,400 per tonne for the 2026/2027 season, equivalent to GH¢2,650 for a 64-kilogramme bag.
Mr Amoah, however, questioned whether the new price adequately reflects the increasing cost of labour, land preparation, pruning, harvesting, transportation, and other inputs required to produce cocoa.
According to him, cocoa farmers are also battling ageing farms, diseases, unpredictable weather conditions, and rising household expenses, making it necessary to critically examine whether the current producer price can provide farmers with a decent livelihood.
“The issue is not simply about whether the price has gone up by GH¢63 per bag. It is about whether farming cocoa remains economically worthwhile,” he argued.
He said the debate had become more significant because of claims and political discussions in recent years over substantially higher producer prices, including figures of GH¢6,000 and GH¢6,500 per bag.
Mr Amoah noted that former COCOBOD Head of Corporate Affairs, Fiifi Boafo, had questioned why the GH¢6,000 figure was not paid between January and October, while NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia had criticised the government over what he described as an unfulfilled GH¢6,500 promise.
He stressed, however, that such figures constituted political claims and should be considered within the broader public debate rather than treated as undisputed facts.
TRANSPARENCY
Mr Amoah also called for greater transparency in the determination of the producer price, particularly regarding the realised Gross Free-On-Board (FOB) value and deductions made along the cocoa value chain.
COCOBOD says the GH¢42,400 per tonne represents 71.18 per cent of the realised Gross Free-On-Board (FOB) value and is above the 70 per cent minimum provided under the newly enacted Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 2026 (Act 1182).
Mr Amoah said the explanation was important but insisted that farmers deserved a clearer understanding of how the realised FOB value was calculated, the international market price used, deductions made along the value chain, and how the final producer price was arrived at.
“The more transparent the process, the easier it will be for farmers and the public to understand the realities behind the price,” he said.
He acknowledged the financial and market pressures facing Ghana’s cocoa sector, including the decline in international cocoa prices from exceptionally high levels and financing challenges confronting the industry.
However, he cautioned that such challenges should not result in the burden being placed disproportionately on the farmer.
PUT FARMER AT THE CENTRE
According to Mr Amoah, the cocoa farmer remains the most critical actor in the cocoa economy because, without farmers cultivating and harvesting the beans, there would be no cocoa for processors, exporters, or the international market.
He therefore called for cocoa policies to focus not only on the sustainability of COCOBOD but also on the welfare and long-term economic security of farmers.
He welcomed productivity interventions such as free fertiliser, hybrid seedlings, and disease and pest-control programmes, saying such measures could help farmers increase productivity and reduce some of the pressures associated with cocoa farming.
But he maintained that productivity support must go hand in hand with a producer price that farmers consider fair and sustainable.
“If Ghana wants to remain one of the world’s major cocoa-producing countries, the country must make cocoa farming attractive enough for young people to see it as a viable economic venture rather than an occupation with little reward,” he stated.
Mr Amoah subsequently called for sustained engagement among government, COCOBOD, cocoa farmers, licensed buying companies, processors, and other stakeholders.
He further argued that the producer price should be reviewed whenever market conditions improve significantly, noting that COCOBOD itself had indicated that the price could be reviewed when market conditions and other relevant factors warranted such action.
‘DON’T MAKE FARMER A CASUALTY OF POLITICS’
The NDC communicator also urged political actors to avoid turning cocoa pricing into a purely partisan matter.
He described cocoa as a national asset and said the welfare of Ghanaian farmers should be a shared national concern regardless of political affiliation.
“Political disagreements may be inevitable, but the farmer should not become the casualty of partisan arguments,” he cautioned.
Mr Amoah said Ghana must ultimately decide what kind of cocoa industry it wants to leave for the next generation — one in which farmers struggle despite producing a globally valuable commodity, or one where farmers receive fair and predictable returns.
He said the current GH¢2,650 producer price should therefore serve as an opportunity for the country to demand greater transparency, strengthen the cocoa sector, and ensure that farmers receive a fair share of the value created through their hard work.
“The cocoa farmer deserves more than applause during Cocoa Day celebrations,” he stressed.
According to him, farmers deserve sustainable incomes, reliable markets, timely payments, affordable inputs, protection for their farms, and a pricing system that reflects the realities of cocoa production.
“When the cocoa farmer succeeds, Ghana succeeds.”
Read the full statement below!
COCOA FARMERS DESERVE MORE THAN JUST AN INCREMENT: TIME TO PUT THE FARMER AT THE CENTRE
By Isaac Kwame Amoah
Deputy Communication Officer, NDC – Shama Constituency
Ghana’s cocoa industry has once again come under intense public discussion following the announcement of the producer price for the 2026/2027 cocoa season. The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has increased the producer price from GH¢41,392 per tonne in the previous season to GH¢42,400 per tonne, translating into GH¢2,650 for a 64-kilogramme bag of cocoa. While any increase may appear positive on the surface, the question that deserves serious national attention is whether the new price adequately reflects the sacrifices, rising production costs, and expectations of the Ghanaian cocoa farmer.
For many cocoa farmers, the issue is not simply about whether the price has gone up by GH¢63 per bag. It is about whether farming cocoa remains economically worthwhile. The farmer pays for labour, land preparation, pruning, harvesting, transportation, and other inputs before a single bag reaches the buying centre. Many farmers also contend with ageing farms, diseases, unpredictable weather, and the increasing cost of living. When these realities are considered, it is understandable that farmers and other stakeholders would ask whether GH¢2,650 per bag is enough to provide a decent livelihood and encourage the next generation to remain in cocoa farming.
The debate has become even more significant because of the expectations created around cocoa prices in recent years. There have been public claims and political discussions about substantially higher prices, including figures around GH¢6,000 and GH¢6,500 per bag. Former COCOBOD Head of Corporate Affairs Fiifi Boafo has publicly questioned why the GH¢6,000 figure was not paid between January and October, while NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia recently criticised the government over what he described as an unfulfilled GH¢6,500 promise. These are political claims and should be considered as part of the wider public debate rather than treated as undisputed facts.
At the same time, the government and COCOBOD have provided their own explanation for the new price. COCOBOD says the GH¢42,400 per tonne represents 71.18 per cent of the realised Gross Free-On-Board (FOB) value and is therefore above the 70 per cent minimum provided under the newly enacted Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 2026 (Act 1182). The new law is intended, among other things, to strengthen the governance and financial sustainability of the cocoa sector and guarantee cocoa farmers a minimum share of the realised FOB value.
This explanation is important, but transparency must go beyond announcing a percentage. Cocoa farmers deserve to understand clearly how the realised FOB value was determined, what international market price was used, what deductions were made along the value chain, and exactly how the final producer price was calculated. The more transparent the process, the easier it will be for farmers and the public to understand the realities behind the price.
It is also important to recognise that the cocoa sector has been facing serious financial and market pressures. International cocoa prices have fallen from the exceptionally high levels recorded earlier, while Ghana’s cocoa industry has also had to deal with financing challenges. COCOBOD has been working to secure the liquidity required to purchase cocoa from farmers and keep the supply chain functioning. These realities cannot simply be ignored when discussing producer prices.
However, acknowledging these challenges should not mean placing the burden on the farmer. The cocoa farmer is one of the most important actors in Ghana’s cocoa economy. Without the farmer cultivating, harvesting, and producing the beans, there would be no cocoa for processors, exporters, or the international market. Therefore, every discussion about the future of the cocoa sector must put the welfare and sustainability of the farmer at the centre.
The government’s own stated objective is to improve the livelihoods of farmers. COCOBOD has indicated that productivity programmes such as free fertiliser, hybrid seedlings, and cocoa disease and pest-control interventions will continue. These programmes are important because improving productivity can help farmers produce more from the same piece of land and reduce some of the pressures associated with cocoa farming.
But support programmes must go hand in hand with a producer price that farmers consider fair and sustainable. A farmer should not have to choose between abandoning cocoa farming and struggling to meet basic household needs. If Ghana wants to remain one of the world’s major cocoa-producing countries, the country must make cocoa farming attractive enough for young people to see it as a viable economic venture rather than an occupation with little reward.
There is therefore a need for continuous engagement among government, COCOBOD, cocoa farmers, licensed buying companies, processors, and other stakeholders. If market conditions improve significantly, the producer price should be reviewed accordingly. COCOBOD itself has indicated that the price can be reviewed when market conditions and other relevant factors warrant such a review.
The conversation should also move beyond political parties. Cocoa is a national asset. Whether one supports the NDC, NPP, or any other political tradition, the welfare of the Ghanaian cocoa farmer should be a shared national concern. Political disagreements may be inevitable, but the farmer should not become the casualty of partisan arguments.
As Ghanaians, we must ask ourselves a fundamental question: What kind of cocoa industry do we want to leave for the next generation? One where farmers continually struggle despite producing a globally valuable commodity, or one where farmers receive fair and predictable returns, enjoy improved productivity, and have confidence that their children can proudly continue the family business?
The current GH¢2,650 producer price has opened an important national conversation. Rather than allowing that conversation to become merely a political contest, we should use it as an opportunity to demand greater transparency, strengthen the cocoa sector, and ensure that the Ghanaian farmer receives a fair share of the value created by his or her hard work.
The cocoa farmer deserves more than applause during Cocoa Day celebrations. The farmer deserves a sustainable income, reliable markets, timely payments, affordable inputs, protection for farms, and a pricing system that reflects the realities of farming.
When the cocoa farmer succeeds, Ghana succeeds.
Isaac Kwame Amoah
Deputy Communication Officer
NDC – Shama Constituency
