The Ghana Civil-Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP) has criticised the federal government’s newly introduced cocoa producer value for the 2025/2026 crop season, describing it as deceptive and insufficient in addressing the worsening financial situations confronting cocoa farmers.
In accordance with the group, the reported 62 p.c enhance within the farm gate value from USD $3,100 to USD $5,040 per metric tonne doesn’t mirror the true profit to farmers. In native forex phrases, they argue, the precise enhance is simply about 4.1 p.c.
Talking at a press convention in Accra on Tuesday, President of the GCCP, Issaka Issifu, defined that though the greenback figures could seem vital, the worth per 64-kilogram bag has risen solely marginally from GH¢3,100 to GH¢3,228.75.
He described the rise as insufficient, particularly in gentle of the financial hardships cocoa farmers are going through equivalent to rising prices of inputs, labour, and fundamental dwelling bills and famous that President John Dramani Mahama had publicly pledged that farmers would obtain 70 p.c of the world market value.
The GCCP believes this created the expectation that the farm gate value could be calculated straight from the gross international value of cocoa, not after deducting processing and export prices.
Nevertheless, Mr Issifu acknowledged that the latest announcement by the Minister for Finance was primarily based on the Free on Board (FOB) value a decrease benchmark which displays the worth of cocoa after deductions equivalent to transport, port dealing with, and high quality management have been made. The group mentioned this contradicts the sooner political dedication and has generated confusion amongst farmers.
Citing its personal technical calculations, he revealed that with the world market value averaging about $8,298 per metric tonne, 70 p.c of that might quantity to roughly GH¢58,835 per tonne. When transformed and divided by 16 luggage per tonne (64kg per bag), this might translate to roughly GH¢3,677 per bag.
Provided that expectation, the Platform is asking on authorities to honour its unique dedication to pay 70 p.c of the world market value with out deductions, which might quantity to at the very least GH¢3,600 per bag. They’re additionally urging mid-season value opinions to mirror market fluctuations, stronger assist for native Licensed Shopping for Corporations (LBCs), and long-term investments in infrastructure, local weather resilience, and farmer schooling.
Mr Issifu additionally raised considerations about persistent structural challenges affecting the cocoa sector, equivalent to restricted entry to agricultural inputs, weak extension companies, local weather vulnerabilities, and poor infrastructure in cocoa-growing communities. They warned that low pricing is fueling the smuggling of cocoa beans to neighbouring international locations the place farmers are paid considerably larger charges.
Whereas acknowledging authorities’s reintroduction of enter assist programmes, he cautioned towards political interference of their implementation, citing previous experiences of favouritism and partisan distribution. he additionally welcomed the upcoming Ghana Cocoa Traceability System aimed toward making certain compliance with the European Union’s deforestation laws, however mentioned many farmers stay uninformed and unprepared for its rollout.
The GCCP reaffirmed its dedication to advocating for cocoa farmers’ welfare and mentioned it’s ready to work with authorities and different stakeholders to construct a fairer and extra sustainable cocoa trade in Ghana.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
