The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called for the immediate increase of the cocoa producer price from GH?3,000 to GH?6,000 per 64-kilogramme bag, in line with promises made to Ghanaians. 

They warned that failure to act swiftly could result in economic sabotage, cross-border smuggling, and a betrayal of Ghana’s hardworking cocoa farmers.

Speaking at a press conference held on Monday, April 14, 2025, at the Miklin Hotel in Kumasi, the Minority Caucus, led by its Ranking Member on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, Isaac Yaw Opoku, urged the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the current administration to desist from “shifting blame”.

Instead, they urged the government to fulfil its campaign promises made to cocoa farmers during the 2024 general elections.

The immediate past government set the cocoa producer price at GH?48,000 per tonne for the 2024/2025 crop season, representing a rise from previous years. This equates to GH?3,000 per 64kg bag.

However, during the 2024 electioneering campaign, then flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, pledged to increase the price per 64kg bag to GH?6,000 to reflect prevailing world market rates.

The Minority is now questioning whether the government is reneging on key manifesto pledges, including its promise to pay farmers 70 per cent of the Free-On-Board (FOB) price, and to raise cocoa prices to GH?6,000 per 64kg bag.

“They promised farmers GH?6,000 per bag. Now they claim they can’t increase the price. Were those just empty words for votes?” the Minority queried.

Citing COCOBOD’s financial strength, the group argued that the agency has both the capacity and resources to absorb any financial impact from a price adjustment. With over 560,000 tonnes of cocoa already purchased and more than US$2 billion in revenue reported through the Bank of Ghana, the Caucus insisted that farmers deserve a fairer share of the cocoa export value.

They further raised concerns about regional competition. Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana’s neighbouring cocoa-producing country, recently raised its farmgate cocoa price by over 22 per cent. The resulting price gap, the Minority cautioned, could encourage large-scale smuggling of Ghanaian cocoa across the border. At current exchange rates, Ivorian farmers earn over GH?3,600 per bag—more than GH?600 higher than their Ghanaian counterparts.

The Caucus warned that failure to align domestic prices with regional benchmarks could result in a surge in cocoa smuggling and illegal mining, as farmers abandon unprofitable cocoa cultivation for more lucrative ventures.

“The government must act now to protect our farmers and safeguard Ghana’s cocoa economy. This is not merely an economic issue—it’s a matter of national security,” the Minority declared.

They concluded by calling on the government to honour its commitment to Ghanaian cocoa farmers.

“No more excuses. COCOBOD and the government must fulfil their promise and pay the Ghanaian cocoa farmer a minimum of GH?6,000 per bag.”