Cocoa Farmers Protest Mid-Season Price Cut

Hundreds of cocoa farmers have poured onto the streets in Sefwi and other cocoa-growing districts to protest what they describe as a betrayal by the government following a mid-season reduction in cocoa prices.

The demonstrators comprising elderly farmers, women, and young producers marched through communities including Sefwi Wiawso, Bekwai, Asunafo and Amenfi, expressing anger over what they say is a sharp reversal of campaign promises made ahead of the 2024 general elections.

At the heart of the protest is the government’s decision to slash the farmgate price of cocoa from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per 64kg bag for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season, representing a 28.6 percent reduction. Farmers argue that the cut has significantly eroded their incomes at a time when production costs remain high.

During the 2024 campaign, the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) pledged to ensure cocoa farmers received a fair share of world market prices.

The party promised improved farmgate rates and additional incentives aimed at boosting productivity and supporting rural livelihoods.

 

The government also outlined plans to invest in irrigation systems and boreholes under its flagship “Feed Ghana” programme to strengthen agricultural output, including cocoa production. However, farmers say recent developments have sharply contradicted those assurances.

In February 2026, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the Ministry of Finance attributed the mid-season price adjustment to declining international cocoa prices and liquidity challenges facing the sector.

Official figures indicate that the producer price had earlier been raised in dollar terms by 62.58 percent to US$5,040 per tonne. Despite that increase, the subsequent reduction to GH¢2,587 per bag has left many farmers reeling, with several describing the move as “economic punishment.”

Producers argue that while international prices may fluctuate, their operational expenses—including fertilizers, hired labour, agrochemicals, and transportation—remain persistently high. They insist that the justification provided by authorities does not adequately account for these realities on the ground.

Some farmers have also warned that the lower farmgate rate could fuel cocoa bean smuggling to neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire, where prices are said to be more stable. Such a development, they caution, could undermine Ghana’s cocoa revenue and further destabilise the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who depend heavily on the crop.

The decision has also drawn criticism in Parliament. The Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has called on the government to reconvene Cabinet and restore the previous price of GH¢3,625 per bag. He described cocoa farming as a “matter of life and death” for over one million Ghanaians whose incomes depend directly or indirectly on the sector.

Critics further contend that attributing the reduction solely to global market trends overlooks internal challenges, including alleged operational inefficiencies within COCOBOD.

As tensions rise, stakeholders are urging government to adopt a more transparent pricing framework and improve engagement with farmers to rebuild trust and prevent deeper discontent within Ghana’s cocoa industry.

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