“We’ve never seen this before” – Cocoa farmers shocked over price reduction

Some cocoa farmers in Ghana are expressing shock and disappointment over the government’s decision to slash the price of cocoa beans.

 According to them, this is the first time a government has reduced the price of cocoa, contradicting numerous promises to increase it.

Speaking to OTEC News, farmers said they are highly disappointed in the government’s drastic price reduction.

 The government has reduced the producer price of cocoa to GH¢41,392 per tonne and GH¢2,587 per bag for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season, citing a sharp fall in global market prices and mounting liquidity pressures within the sector.

Announcing the decision at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, February 12, 2026, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson said the adjustment was necessary to reflect current international price realities while protecting farmers’ incomes as much as possible.

Farmers from Western North, Bono, Ahafo, and Ashanti Regions said the reduction has come as a surprise, noting that the government’s pledge was to maintain the existing farm gate price, not reduce it .

Source: /Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boaten