Pay the Cocoa Farmers Now! – Minority Leader Fires Govt.

Minority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin has asked government to pay the country’s cocoa farmers their due as a matter of urgency and stop having its officials in Accra speaking “big English” in self over the matter.

Afenyo-Markin, in his speech on Sunday at a well-attended New Patriotic Party (NPP) Thanksgiving Ceremony—held to celebrate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s election as the party’s flagbearer noted: “What I want every NPP member to tell the NDC government is that it is not all about speaking very big English on social media and hiding behind CSOs. The cocoa farmers want their money, so pay them… The issue goes beyond communication and public relations,” Afenyo-Markin told the cheering crowd.

He lamented that the Ghanaian cocoa farmer has become poorer by the recent decision of Government to slash in the producer price from GH¢3,625 per bag, to GH¢2,587 under the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) watch.

The Minority Leader hinted that his Caucus would raise the matter in Parliament in the interest of cocoa farmers.

There is a heated debate turned political after government announced an unprecedented mid-season reduction in the farmgate price of cocoa, effective February 13, 2026.

In a move described by many as “historic and harrowing,” the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) slashed the producer price from GH¢58,000 to GH¢41,392 per metric tonne. For the average farmer, this means a bag of cocoa that fetched GH¢3,625 in October will now only bring in GH¢2,587—a staggering 28.6% loss in income per bag.

Economic Necessity vs. Rural Reality

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson defended the decision, citing a “brutal” correction in the global market. After reaching record highs of over $10,000 per tonne in 2024, international prices have retreated to the $3,600–$4,000 range.

“The previous price was no longer sustainable,” Dr. Forson explained. “It led to unsold stocks and a liquidity crisis at COCOBOD. This adjustment is the only way to ensure we can actually pay farmers for their beans rather than leaving them with IOUs.”

To mitigate the blow, the government announced that the new price represents 90% of the Free-on-Board (FOB) value, up from the traditional 70%, and promised that all outstanding arrears owed to farmers would be settled immediately.

Voices from the Cocoa Belt

The technical justifications offer little comfort in the villages of the Ashanti, Ahafo, and Western North regions. Farmers who spoke to the People’s Forum Platform expressed a sense of betrayal.

“We have never seen a price cut in the middle of a season,” said Kwame Asante, a veteran farmer from Adomfe. “Fertilizer costs are up, school fees are due, and now the government takes GH¢1,000 away from every bag. It feels like our sweat has been devalued overnight.”

Political and Industry Fallout

The Licensed Cocoa Buyers Association of Ghana (LCOBA) has endorsed the move as a “bitter pill” necessary to save the industry from collapse. However, the political climate remains tense, with the Attorney General now directed to conduct a forensic audit into COCOBOD’s finances over the last eight years to account for the current liquidity crisis.

As the new price takes effect, security agencies are reportedly on high alert in border towns to monitor potential increases in cocoa smuggling to neighboring countries where price dynamics may differ.