A Ghanaian cocoa farmer, Emmanuel Nodjo, has voiced the deep disappointment shared by many cocoa producers over the recently announced producer price for the 2025/26 season. Despite a notable increase, he says the new rate still falls short of farmers’ expectations.
Speaking on PM Express on JoyNews on Tuesday, August 5, Mr. Nodjo, who owns seven acres of cocoa farms, described the mood among farmers as one of disillusionment.
“We were expecting better than this,” he said. “The price is not encouraging.”
On Monday, the government approved a new producer price of $5,040 per tonne—up from the previous $3,100—a 62.58% increase. The announcement came from Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who chairs the Producer Price Review Committee.
While the government has hailed the new price as a major win for farmers, Mr. Nodjo insists it’s not enough. “The farmers are not very happy with the price,” he said. “It’s not appreciating as we expected. We were hoping for at least GH¢4,000 per bag, but that didn’t happen.”
Defending the new rate, Dr. Forson explained that it reflects President John Mahama’s promise to ensure cocoa farmers receive at least 70% of the Free-On-Board (FOB) value. According to him, the figure is based on a blend of contracts sold during the 2023/24 season at $2,600 per tonne and forward projections for 2025/26.
He also criticised the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration for offering a lower rate of $3,100 per tonne during the 2024/25 season, which, he claimed, was only 63.9% of the FOB value of $4,850 at the time.
Despite the political comparisons, many farmers say the numbers still don’t reflect the rising costs of production and labour. For Mr. Nodjo and others like him, the bottom line is simple: “We are not satisfied.”
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem