Government has announced a substantial increase in the producer price of cocoa for the 2025/2026 season. The price has been raised from $3,100 to $5,040 per tonne — a significant 62.58% increment in dollar terms.
The announcement was made by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
He disclosed that the new price structure takes effect from Thursday, August 7, 2025.
Dr. Forson explained that the new price represents 70% of the gross Free-On-Board (FOB) value of $7,200 per tonne, in line with President John Mahama’s campaign promise to pay cocoa farmers a minimum of 70% of the FOB price.
“The previous administration under the NPP, during the 2024/25 season, pegged the FOB value at $4,850 and the producer price at $3,100 — just 63.9% of FOB — even though global market conditions were more favourable,” he said.
According to him, the $7,200 FOB figure was arrived at using outstanding contracts of about 100,000 tonnes sold at $2,600 per tonne during the 2023/24 crop season, coupled with the average forecast for 2025/26.
Using an average exchange rate of GHS10.25 to the dollar for the new crop season, the cedi equivalent of the new cocoa producer price rises from GHS49,600 per tonne to GHS51,660 per tonne. This translates to GHS3,228.75 per 64kg bag of cocoa.
“This bold move reaffirms President Mahama’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of cocoa farmers,” Dr. Forson added, noting that the increase directly addresses long-standing concerns of farmers who have demanded fairer compensation amid rising production costs and inflation.
