The Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers Association has issued a strong warning to government, threatening to withhold their cocoa beans if a new producer price is not announced by September 20.
The Association’s National President, Issifu Issaka, said farmers are growing frustrated over the silence from authorities, particularly as the local currency continues to depreciate against the dollar.
In an interview with ABC News GH, Issaka explained that government must immediately revise the cocoa price to align with the current exchange rate.
“Government should immediately review for a price that will concine with the current dollar rate,” he stated, stressing that farmers cannot continue to operate under outdated pricing systems.
He added that despite repeated calls, “we have not heard anything from government which we are very surprise.”
According to him, failure by September 20 to communicate clearly on a possible adjustment will leave farmers with no choice but to keep their beans.
“By the 20th of this month, government should be able to come out and communicate their plans, whether they will review it or not,” Issaka stressed.
He warned that if nothing is done, “we will take an action that will in the short term affect the government. Farmers will keep the beans until further notice… when we keep the beans, where will you sell the cocoa?”
The threat comes at a time when the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association (GNACOFA) has been urging government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to adjust producer prices in line with the rapid depreciation of the cedi—from GHC 10.25 to GHC 13.00 per USD.
Farmers argue that the current pricing model, tied to outdated exchange rates, erodes their earnings while production costs and inflation keep rising.
GNACOFA has long maintained that fair pricing is both an economic necessity and a moral obligation, noting that without immediate action, cocoa output could fall due to low farmer motivation and financial strain.
They have called for a transparent pricing framework, better consultation with farmers, and policies that reflect the realities on the ground.
The outcome of this standoff could have significant consequences not only for the livelihoods of thousands of cocoa farmers but also for Ghana’s economy, which relies heavily on cocoa as a major foreign exchange earner.
By Ruth Sekyi – [email protected]
