Ghana Civil-Society Cocoa Platform dissatisfied with new cocoa price
The Ghana Civil-Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP) has expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s recently announced cocoa producer price for the 2025/2026 season.
The platform described the increase as misleading and insufficient to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the president of the GCCP, Issaka Issifu, said the headline price of US$5,040 per metric tonne, though appearing generous compared to last season’s US$3,100, had represented only a marginal increase when converted to local currency.
He explained that the actual increment stood at 4.1 per cent, from GH¢3,100 to GH¢3,228.75 per 64kg bag.
“Within the context of Ghana’s ongoing economic challenges, this increment has remained insufficient to transform the livelihoods of cocoa farmers meaningfully,” he said.
Pricing method
Mr Issifu questioned the methodology used in setting the price, asserting that the President and the Minister of Food and Agriculture had previously assured that cocoa farmers would receive 70 per cent of the global market price.
However, he said the latest figures appeared to have been based on the Free on Board (FOB) price, which was significantly lower, leading to concerns over inconsistency and lack of transparency in the pricing process.
Production cost
Mr Issifu said cocoa farmers had continued to face escalating production costs due to expensive inputs, labour and operations.
He added that climate change impacts, including erratic rainfall patterns, worsening crop diseases such as black pod, smuggling and market instability caused by cross-border price disparities, had further worsened their situation.
Mr Issifu stated that the GCCP welcomed the government’s reintroduction of input supply programmes and productivity enhancement initiatives, while cautioning against the politicisation of such interventions.
He cited past cases where party operatives had interfered at community and district levels, undermining the intended benefits.
Commended
Mr Issifu commended the government’s commitment to launching the Ghana Cocoa Traceability System, a key step toward compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation, expected to take effect by the end of 2025.
“That said, the GCCP is concerned that many farmers have remained uninformed and unprepared, which could undermine their ability to comply and benefit,” he said.
He urged the government to implement mid-term price reviews, support local license buying companies, tackle structural challenges, invest in farmer education and improve rural infrastructure.
The president reaffirmed the GCCP's dedication to defending cocoa farmers' rights and promoting policies that encourage sustainable development across the sector.
"We stand ready to collaborate with the government and stakeholders to address systemic issues and secure a dignified, viable future for Ghana's cocoa farmers," he said.
Background
The GCCP is an independent advocacy platform comprising civil society actors in the cocoa sector, including non-governmental organisations, farmer associations and community-based organisations.
Its mission has been to advocate and influence cocoa sector policies to improve the livelihoods of farmers across Ghana.
