By Vincent Kwofie
Cocoa farmers across Ghana’s major growing belts are expressing deep frustration following a mid-season reduction in the cocoa producer price, warning that the move threatens their livelihoods amid soaring production costs and delayed payments.
The revised price of GH¢2,587 per 64kg bag—announced for the remainder of the 2025/2026 cocoa season—has triggered anxiety in farming communities across the Western North, Ashanti, and Eastern Regions. Farmers say the adjustment amounts to a painful “haircut” on incomes they have already struggled to earn.
In response to the growing outcry, The People’s Forum has launched a nationwide billboard campaign aimed at amplifying farmers’ voices and drawing national attention to their plight.
Billboards Spotlight Farmers’ Frustration
The striking billboards, mounted across Accra and other strategic locations, depict an exhausted cocoa farmer seated among harvested pods in a forest, head resting on his hand. Bold lettering reads: “OUR SWEAT, THEIR EXCUSES – GH¢2,587 PER BAG? HOW DO WE SURVIVE?”
Designed in vivid red and white, the visuals carry the hashtags #CocoaFarmersMatter and #JusticeForFarmers, urging public solidarity while prominently crediting The People’s Forum.
Background to the Price Cut
The campaign follows the February 12, 2026 announcement by Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson that the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) had revised the cocoa producer price to GH¢41,392 per tonne, equivalent to GH¢2,587 per bag.
The new figure represents a 28.6 percent reduction from the GH¢3,625 per bag (GH¢58,000 per tonne) set at the start of the season in October 2025.
Government officials have defended the decision, pointing to a sharp decline in global cocoa prices—from record highs of over $10,000–$12,000 per tonne in late 2024 to about $3,600–$3,700 per tonne in recent months. They also cite liquidity challenges at Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), delayed farmer payments since late 2025, and a backlog of unsold cocoa beans.
According to officials, the revised price now represents roughly 90 percent of the achieved Free on Board (FOB) export value, compared with about 70 percent previously.
Farmers Push Back
Despite these explanations, farmers argue that rising costs of fertilisers, pesticides, and labour make the reduction unsustainable. Many describe the decision as unprecedented, noting that mid-season price cuts are rare in Ghana’s cocoa sector.
Farmer groups and opposition voices also accuse the administration of failing to meet earlier commitments of substantially higher producer prices—some projected at over GH¢6,000 per bag.
A Growing National Conversation
The People’s Forum says its billboard initiative is a “wake-up call” intended to expose what it calls the “silent suffering” of cocoa farmers. The group reports widespread anger following consultations with farmers and warns that demonstrations could follow if concerns remain unaddressed.
Images of the billboards have since circulated widely on social media, sparking mixed reactions. While many Ghanaians have praised the campaign and expressed solidarity with farmers, others continue to debate the broader economic pressures confronting the cocoa industry.
As Ghana’s cocoa sector—a cornerstone of the national economy employing millions—navigates global market volatility, the message from farmers is stark: under the current price regime, survival is becoming increasingly difficult.
