The Minority in Parliament has called on the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to promptly pay cocoa farmers for beans sold since November 2025, warning that the delays are pushing both farmers and the cocoa industry into crisis.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Isaac Yaw Opoku, said the situation has deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, with many farmers waiting more than three months to receive payment for their produce.
Addressing journalists in Accra on Thursday, February 5, Mr Opoku said the Minority Caucus is deeply concerned about the growing financial distress in cocoa-growing communities, where delayed payments have disrupted livelihoods and weakened confidence in the sector.
He attributed the problem to the Ghana Cocoa Board’s inability to reimburse Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) for cocoa beans already taken over, noting that COCOBOD’s indebtedness to the companies has exceeded GH¢10 billion. According to him, the cash flow challenges facing LBCs have made it impossible for them to pay farmers on time.
As a result, farmers are reportedly being forced to sell cocoa on credit, accept significant price cuts, or return home with unsold beans—developments Mr Opoku warned could destabilise the entire cocoa value chain and have ripple effects on the broader economy.
He rejected claims by COCOBOD that adequate funds have been released to support cocoa purchases, insisting that conditions on the ground contradict those assurances. Mr Opoku further accused both the government and COCOBOD of failing in their responsibility to support LBCs, many of which depend on bank loans and off-taker financing to pre-finance cocoa buying.
Beyond the economic impact, the Ranking Member highlighted the human cost of the delays, citing instances of farmers struggling to pay hospital bills, school fees, and care for sick relatives. He added that some farmers were unable to mark Christmas celebrations for the first time due to non-payment.
Mr Opoku also criticised the government for failing to fulfil campaign promises made ahead of the December 7 elections, recalling pledges that cocoa farmers would receive between GH¢6,000 and GH¢7,000 per bag. He said the current producer price of GH¢3,625 for a 64kg bag falls well below those assurances.
He expressed strong opposition to any proposal to reduce the producer price as a way of clearing arrears, describing such a move as a betrayal of trust. In addition, he accused the government of poor management of COCOBOD, pointing to what he described as wasteful administrative expenditure and mass staff transfers while farmers remain unpaid.
Warning that the crisis could lead to the collapse of indigenous buying companies and transport operators whose capital is locked up, the Minority is demanding the immediate payment of cocoa farmers, full reimbursement of LBCs, and prompt settlement of future cocoa deliveries. They are also calling on the government and COCOBOD to issue a public apology.
“Cocoa farmers are not beggars,” Mr Opoku stressed. adding that “Paying them on time is a duty, not a favour.”
