Some cocoa farmers in Ghana have expressed displeasure with the recent 58 percent increment in producer price for the 2023/2024 season.
This comes after the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) announced an upward adjustment from GH¢1,308.99 to GH¢2,070 per bag effective April 5.
In the statement, COCOBOD, explained that the decision was required, as it will boost the income of farmers.
However, members of the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association have stressed that 58 percent is not enough, considering the global surge in cocoa prices.
In a media engagement, the President of the National Cocoa Farmers Association, Stephenson Anane Boateng, stated that government is unduly withholding their monies, and described the decision as an insult.
“Cocoa has been raised globally to $10,000 per metric ton. So if you compare and you convert to our currency, it is running over GH¢9,000. We totally disagree with them. We pay our labour, we buy inputs for the farm, and then we also pay ourselves.
“So in a nutshell, we get only GH¢600 for that while COCOBOD also gets GH¢7,000. So what work did COCOBOD do that they give us that money? It’s an insult!”
This has led to the minority in parliament criticizing the government for the meager increment.
