Ranking Member on Parliament’s Food and Agriculture Committee, Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, has called on government to apologise to cocoa farmers, accusing it of failing to honour campaign promises on cocoa producer prices.
The Offinso South MP’s comments come after the announcement of a new cocoa producer price for the 2025/2026 season, which has been increased from US$3,100 to US$5,040 per tonne — a 62.58% jump in dollar terms. In cedi terms, the price rises from GH₵49,600 to GH₵51,660 per tonne, equivalent to GH₵3,228.75 per 64kg bag from GH₵3,100 per 64kg bag.
The revised price, approved by the Producer Price Review Committee chaired by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, takes effect on Thursday, August 7.
In an interview, Dr. Opoku said the new figure falls far short of the governing party’s campaign pledge to pay GH₵6,000 per bag to cocoa farmers.
“What was the basis for promising cocoa farmers that when they will power, they will pay cocoa farmers GH₵6000 per bag? In fact, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson even went further — at one point, he even promised GH₵7000. So what was the basis? The cocoa farmers don’t know any calculation; they do not believe in these gimmicks,” he said.
Dr. Opoku argued that the government’s latest announcement shows it was either backtracking or never serious about its pledge.
“All they are asking the government to do is to fulfil their promise of GH₵6000 per bag. Let us be honest with ourselves. If the NPP government had yielded to their pressure and increased the cocoa price to GH₵6000 or GH₵7000 at the time, would they have reduced the price today? They should apologise to cocoa farmers,” he added.