Former Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi has said he is not sure that the cocoa farmers are happy about the new producer price of cocoa, despite claims by the Cocoa Farmers Association that they are happy.
He made the point that the farmers were expecting at least 6000 Cedis per bag as was promised by the Mahama administration when in opposition.
“When we say the farmers are happy, I am not sure they are happy. Because the expectation of the farmer was that they could be rewarded by 6k per bag, so why can’t we get it now? I am not sure they are satisfied; it is all about politics,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, October 11, while discussing the new prices.
For his part, Stevenson Anane Boateng, President of the Ghana National Association of Cocoa Farmers, said that his association is pleased with the new cocoa prices announced by the Finance Minister.
He said that previously, when the government first increased the prices, they wrote a letter registering their displeasure.
Following that, the new prices have been announced, which he said they are satisfied with.
“We are much appreciative of that, we are ok with it; we have written to appreciate it. What we have seen that the government is listening to the concerns we have, “he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, October 11.
The Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, announced on Thursday, October 2, that the government has decided to increase the producer price of cocoa to GHS3,625 per bag or GHS58,000 per tonne.
The new price takes effect tomorrow, Friday, 3rd October 2025.
In a post on his X page after addressing the media o, Dr Ato Forson said “Margins, fees, and rates to all other stakeholders, including COCOBOD, remain unchanged.”
He further stated that COCOBOD will continue to implement interventions to support cocoa production and improve the welfare of cocoa farmers.
In particular, he said, COCOBOD will intensify the supply of free cocoa fertilizers (liquid and granular), free insecticides, free spraying machines, free fungicides, and free flower inducers.
“In addition, COCOBOD remains on track to implement the new Tertiary Education Scholarship Scheme for children of cocoa farmers in the 2026/27 academic year,” Dr Forson said.
Earlier, in August, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, announced that the government had increased the producer price of cocoa from US$3,100 per tonne to US$5,040 per tonne.
The new price took effect from Thursday, 7th August 2025.
In a Facebook post, the finance minister said it is instructive to note that the government has, by this decision, increased the producer price significantly by 62.58% in US dollar terms.
He also said this increase in the producer price represents 70% of the gross Free-On-Board (FOB) value of US$7,200 per tonne and aligns with President Mahama’s promise to pay cocoa farmers 70% of the FOB price.
