Cocoa farmers in Ghana are sounding the alarm, urging the government to honor its campaign promise to raise the cocoa producer price to GHS6,000 to GHS7,000 per tonne.
Issifu Issaka, President of the Ghana Cooperative Farmers and Marketing Association Limited, expressed frustration following Eric Opoku’s vetting for the Minister of Food and Agriculture role on Monday, January 20.
Speaking to ABC NEWS GH, Issaka described farmers’ disappointment over the nominee’s silence on cocoa pricing. “Cocoa farmers will not be taken for granted. We deserve better, and our expectations are clear,” he declared.
Despite the recent increase in the producer price to GHS4,800 per tonne for the 2024/2025 season, farmers insist this falls short of meeting their needs, citing the ongoing challenges of smuggling and insufficient incomes.
“We voted for the NDC because of their promise of higher pricing for cocoa,” Issaka emphasized, reminding the Mahama-led administration that farmers are watching closely.
The sector, which has long been a cornerstone of Ghana’s economy, faces mounting pressure to ensure farmers reap the benefits of their hard work, especially amid the $400 Living Income Differential (LID) policy.
As the National Democratic Congress (NDC) settles into governance, cocoa farmers are cautiously optimistic but prepared to hold the government accountable.
With productivity gains in the sector overshadowed by calls for higher compensation, farmers see the GHS6,000 target as a lifeline for their survival.
Many warn that failure to meet this pledge could erode trust in the administration and further destabilize a critical pillar of the nation’s economy. “It’s not just about promises—it’s about survival,” Issaka concluded.
