The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has defended the government’s decision to maintain the producer price of cocoa for the 2026/2027 crop season, describing the move as a demonstration of its commitment to protecting cocoa farmers despite declining prices on the international market.
The government, through COCOBOD, announced that the producer price for cocoa will remain unchanged for the upcoming season, with purchases expected to commence on June 18, 2026.
Under the approved rates, Grade I and II cocoa beans will continue to be purchased at GH¢41,241.76 per load of 30 kilograms and GH¢2,587.00 per bag of 64 kilograms gross, while the producer price per tonne remains GH¢41,392.00.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, June 12, the Head of Public Affairs at COCOBOD, Jerome Kwaku Sam, said the government had deliberately chosen to shield farmers from the full impact of the downturn in international cocoa prices.
According to him, previous reductions in producer prices were necessitated by significant declines in global market prices, which had dropped from highs of about $8,000 per tonne to nearly $4,200 per tonne at the time.
He explained that international cocoa prices have continued to fluctuate at lower levels, hovering between $3,000 and $4,000 per tonne, making the decision to maintain the current producer price a significant intervention by the government.
“For us to even maintain the price as at now is born out of government commitment to protecting the livelihood and income of the cocoa farmer,” he said.
Sam noted that despite the challenges on the international market, Ghana has chosen not to pass on the full effects of the price decline to local farmers.
He also pointed to neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producer, where he said farmers currently receive far less for their cocoa compared to their counterparts in Ghana.
“I’m in Côte d’Ivoire now for meetings between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, and I can tell you that they are not selling even up to GH¢1,200 per bag. In some cases, with about GH¢1,000, you can purchase a bag of cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire,” he stated.
He argued that maintaining Ghana’s producer price at GH¢2,587 per bag reflects the government’s determination to prevent cocoa farmers from being further affected by developments on the international market.
Sam added that the decision underscores efforts to sustain farmer incomes and preserve livelihoods in the face of continuing volatility within the global cocoa industry.
