President John Dramani Mahama has called for pragmatic and farmer-centred reforms in Ghana’s cocoa industry, stressing that policy decisions must reflect the lived realities of producers.
Addressing participants at the inaugural Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition in Accra on Tuesday, February 17, the President revealed that his perspective on the sector is shaped not only by policy oversight but also by personal experience as a cocoa grower.
Mahama said fluctuations in global cocoa prices and recent adjustments within the industry have direct consequences for farmers, urging stakeholders to appreciate the difficult balance required in managing the sector.
“I planted cocoa on 50 acres, so I am a cocoa farmer. When the price is reduced by the government, it affects me too. I want to empathise with farmers so that when we take policy decisions, we understand the impact and feel it ourselves. If the price of fertiliser is high, I feel it because I also buy fertiliser,” he said.
His remarks come against the backdrop of debate over recent reforms in the cocoa economy, including the reduction of the producer price from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per bag due to instability on the international market.
The price review has sparked concern among farmers, who say declining earnings and rising input costs are increasing pressure on cocoa production and threatening livelihoods.
