Despite a recent price increase by neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana’s COCOBOD has opted to maintain its cocoa producer price for the 2025/26 season, Accra Street Journal has learned.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has officially announced it will maintain the current producer price of cocoa for the upcoming 2025/26 season.
This decision by COCOBOD to maintain the price for this crop season comes on the heels of Côte d’Ivoire’s recent announcement of a significant increase in its producer price, raising questions about Ghana’s pricing strategy and its impact on local farmers.
A letter sighted by Accra Street Journal, dated April 8, 2025, and signed by Dr. James Kofi Kutsoati, Acting Deputy Chief Executive (Operations), addressed to the Licensed Cocoa Buyers’ Association of Ghana (LICOBAG) stated that the decision was arrived at as a result of “careful consideration of the operational and financial implications for the cocoa industry.”
“Following the recent announcement of a producer price increase Cote d’Ivoire, Management of COCOBOD has decided to maintain Ghana’s current producer price. This decision comes after careful consideration of the operational and financial implication for the cocoa industry,” the portions of the letter read.
A careful analysis of the decision of COCOBOD underscores a delicate balancing act that involves ensuring the sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa sector while grappling with volatile global prices, rising production costs, and financial constraints.
The decision not to raise prices suggests that management is wary of further strain on the industry’s operating margins and its ability to finance essential services such as fertilizer subsidies, mass spraying, and rural road projects.
However, the price stagnation may have severe implications for cocoa farmers who are already grappling with inflation and the increased cost of living.
The contrast with neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire, which recently increased its producer price to boost farmer incomes, may make Ghanaian cocoa less competitive and disincentivize farmers from investing in their farms.
This is a possible breeding ground for smuggling. Already a challenge in the cocoa industry, cross-border smuggling could further reduce Ghana’s official cocoa output and foreign exchange earnings.
This decision from COCOBOD means the current cocoa producer price in Ghana still stands at GH₵3,100 per 64-kg bag, reflecting a modest increase of 0.03% over the previous rate announced in September for the 2024/2025 crop season. This adjustment, which equates to GH₵49,600 per tonne.
Last Updated on April 15, 2025 by samboad
