Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Alliance Applauds Ghana’s Updated Cocoa Pricing
The Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI) has commended the Government of Ghana for its continued commitment to building a sustainable and equitable cocoa economy, following the official launch of the 2025/2026 cocoa season and the announcement of a historic increase in the producer price of cocoa.
On August 4, 2025, the government announced a significant raise in the producer price of cocoa, increasing it from US$3,100 to US$5,040 per tonne — a 62.58% jump in dollar terms.
The decision was made by the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), chaired by the Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, ahead of the new season, which opens on Thursday, August 7.
In a statement issued on August 6, the CIGCI congratulated Ghana for what it described as a bold and record-setting move, saying the increase underscores the country’s dedication to the welfare of its cocoa farmers.
“This increase is a clear demonstration of our members’ commitment to uphold their promise to cocoa farmers and strengthen the foundation for a fairer and more resilient cocoa economy,” the statement said.
The Initiative also commended the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for its leadership in pushing for a more equitable global cocoa market. It noted that the new price forms part of a broader strategy to correct deep-rooted imbalances in the cocoa value chain.
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire — which together produce over 60% of the world’s cocoa — have, since 2019, worked closely to align farmgate pricing policies, improve market transparency, and advocate for fairer value distribution across the sector.
Executive Secretary of the CIGCI, Alex Assanvo, said the two countries’ joint commitment to farmer welfare is transforming the industry.
“Since 2019, amid a volatile cocoa economy with market prices often falling below production costs, the two countries have collaborated to address entrenched market failures that left cocoa producers at a disadvantage. A fair price to farmers is the first milestone toward achieving a sustainable cocoa sector,” he noted.
The CIGCI reaffirmed its vision to make cocoa the world’s first truly sustainable commodity — economically viable, socially just, and environmentally sound. The Initiative emphasised that lasting transformation in the cocoa industry can only be achieved when farmers are placed at the centre of reforms.
“There is no cocoa, and no chocolate, without the cocoa farmer,” the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, the increased Minority Caucus in Parliament has described this increase as “ridiculous, unfair, and completely unacceptable.”
Speaking on behalf of the caucus at a press briefing on Tuesday, August 5, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Food and Agriculture Committee, Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, emphasised that the new price amounts to a “stab in the back” of hardworking farmers who continue to contribute significantly to Ghana’s economy.
The caucus warned that such poor remuneration could push cocoa farmers to abandon their farms and lease them to illegal miners, thereby worsening the country’s galamsey crisis and threatening the future of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
“Cocoa farmers deserve far better for their toil and sacrifices for their enormous contribution to the
economy of the country. They cannot be taken for granted all the time. The deception must stop!
“This new farm gate price of GH¢3,228.75 per bag is ridiculous, laughable, comical, absurd, shameful,
unfair, and a stab in the back of cocoa farmers. This is complete “sakawa” and unacceptable.
“This new price of GH¢3,228.75 per bag is completely unacceptable and has to be reviewed immediately to motivate our cocoa farmers and prevent the temptation of farmers giving their cocoa farms out to galamsey operators.
“We must safeguard our cocoa industry, protect our farmers’ livelihoods, and maintain Ghana’s enviable position in the industry. The government must come again and offer a better price. Cocoa Farmers matter and demand better!! If you cannot spell, you do not write,” he stated.
