NPP Accuses Government of Shortchanging Cocoa Farmers

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the government of deceiving cocoa farmers with the newly announced producer price for the 2026/27 season, describing the GH¢2,650 per bag as inadequate and a betrayal of campaign promises made by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Isaac Yaw Opoku, MP for Offinso South and Co-chair of the NPP Policy Committee on Agriculture, made the allegation at a press conference in Accra on Monday, shortly after COCOBOD announced the new price.

COCOBOD Chief Executive Dr Randy Abbey announced on Friday, 25 September 2026, that the producer price for the 2026/27 cocoa season would be GH¢42,400 per tonne, translating to GH¢2,650 per 64-kilogramme bag. The new price represents an increase of GH¢1,008 per tonne, or about 2.4 per cent, over the previous season’s GH¢41,392 per tonne.

According to COCOBOD, the new price represents 71.18 per cent of the realised gross free-on-board (FOB) value, satisfying the minimum 70 per cent threshold guaranteed under the Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 2026.

Mr Opoku, however, rejected the government’s figures. He argued that based on prevailing world market prices of between $5,500 and $6,000 per tonne, plus the $400 Living Income Differential paid by buyers, the producer price should be approximately GH¢2,968 per bag—not GH¢2,650.

“Farmers have been shortchanged by a whopping GH¢318 on every bag of cocoa,” he said.

“The producer price for the 2026/27 season is now GH¢2,650, an increase of GH¢63. This is a complete deceit,” Mr Opoku said.

Mr Opoku described the February reduction as “arbitrary and unlawful,” arguing that under the guaranteed minimum price system, the announced price at the start of the season was meant to prevail throughout the crop year and could not be revised downward.

He also raised concerns about an outstanding debt of approximately GH¢4 billion owed by COCOBOD to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), warning that if previous purchases remain unpaid, there is no guarantee that farmers will be paid promptly in the new season.

COCOBOD has acknowledged the outstanding debt but maintained that such balances are not unusual at the close of a season. The regulator said it had prioritised payments to farmers and was preparing to engage LBCs to address the remaining obligations.

On the pricing formula, COCOBOD stated that the new price reflects the realised FOB value and complies with the law guaranteeing farmers at least 70 per cent of that value.

The dispute highlights growing tensions over cocoa pricing as Ghana opens a new season amid volatile international market conditions. For the NPP, the issue presents an opportunity to rally cocoa farmers—a key voting bloc—against the government ahead of the 2028 elections. For the NDC, the challenge will be convincing farmers that the current pricing, while below campaign promises, reflects economic realities beyond its control.