Minority Caucus in Parliament Calls for Fair Producer Price for Cocoa Farmers

Strategic Insights -

The Minority Caucus in Parliament, led by Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, has expressed concern over the government's handling of cocoa pricing issues, citing continued deception and failure to fulfill campaign promises. The Caucus is demanding a fair producer price for cocoa farmers when the new crop season opens in August, urging the government to set a deserving price that reflects the sector's significant contributions to the economy. Dr. Opoku criticized the President's failure to increase the price from GHC3,100, despite a campaign promise to set it at GHC6,000 per bag of 64 kilograms. The Caucus's visit to cocoa farmers in the Asunafo North Municipality highlighted emerging challenges and the need for urgent attention to the sector.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on the government to set a fair producer price for cocoa farmers, citing continued deception and failure to fulfill campaign promises.
  • Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, a Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, expressed concern over the government's handling of cocoa pricing issues.
  • The Caucus demands a fair producer price for cocoa farmers when the new crop season opens in August, urging the government to set a deserving price that reflects the sector's significant contributions to the economy.
  • The President has failed to increase the price from GHC3,100, despite a campaign promise to set it at GHC6,000 per bag of 64 kilograms.
  • The Caucus visited cocoa farmers in the Asunafo North Municipality to identify and tackle emerging challenges confronting them.
  • Successive administrations of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have introduced policies to enhance the socio-economic livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
  • Some cocoa farmers expressed disappointment and frustration over the government's failure to peg the price of a bag of cocoa at GHC6,000 as promised in the 2024 Electioneering process.

Statistics:

  • The current producer price of cocoa is GHC3,100 per bag of 64 kilograms.
  • The campaign promise made by the President to set the price at GHC6,000 per bag of 64 kilograms.
  • The significant contributions of the cocoa sector toward economic growth and development in Ghana (no specific data provided).
  • The GHC6,000 target price for cocoa farmers is contingent on the new crop season opening in August (no specific timeline provided).

Sources:

  • Ghana News Agency, 30 July 2025
  • Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Minority Caucus in Parliament
  • President John Dramani Mahama
  • New Democratic Congress (NDC)
  • New Patriotic Party (NPP)