{"id":115227,"date":"2026-02-13T17:17:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T17:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=115227"},"modified":"2026-02-13T17:17:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T17:17:13","slug":"cocoa-price-cut-best-policy-decision-to-transform-sector-majority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=115227","title":{"rendered":"Cocoa price cut best policy decision to transform sector \u2013 Majority"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class='booster-block booster-read-block'>\n                <div class=\"twp-read-time\">\n                \t<i class=\"booster-icon twp-clock\"><\/i> <span>Read Time:<\/span>4 Minute, 16 Second                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div><div>\n<p>The Majority in Parliament has thrown its weight behind the government\u2019s latest reforms in the cocoa sector, describing them as the most prudent and strategic measures needed to reset and transform the industry.<\/p>\n<p>According to the caucus, the policy decisions, which see a 28 per cent reduction in the farmgate price of cocoa, are not arbitrary but grounded in data, market realities and regional dynamics.<\/p>\n<p>Addressing journalists, Chairman of the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Godfred Seidu Jasaw, said the price adjustment was partly influenced by prevailing rates in neighbouring cocoa-producing countries to prevent reverse smuggling into Ghana.<\/p>\n<p>He explained that maintaining a higher price than surrounding countries could create incentives for traders to smuggle cocoa into Ghana to take advantage of the premium.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe also thought that because surrounding countries were selling at lower prices, there could be reverse smuggling,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/JASAW-COCOA.mp3.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIf you maintain or even increase prices here, then there is the possibility of a scheme to bring in more cocoa from neighbouring countries to sell in Ghana at higher prices. All these factors exist.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dr Jasaw said the reform package announced by the government reflects careful analysis of production data and purchasing trends for the current season.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Read also: Gov\u2019t sets new farmgate cocoa price at GH\u20b541,392 per tonne for 2025\u20132026 season<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>He disclosed that the government projected to purchase about 600,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans this year, out of which approximately 530,000 metric tonnes have already been bought.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you are dealing with data, per the projections and recent trends, it means the cocoa beans left in the field are not more than 70,000 metric tonnes,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo it is actually wise that you reduce the producer price for the rest of the 70,000 yet to be mopped up.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He rejected claims that all cocoa beans produced this season would be affected by the reduced price, describing such assertions as inaccurate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen my colleagues create the impression that all cocoa beans produced this year are going to be shortchanged and that every bag will sell at 2,570, that is inaccurate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Jasaw further argued that the new pricing structure could even attract more buyers back to Ghana, given the global reputation of Ghanaian cocoa.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe buyers who didn\u2019t find Ghana\u2019s price attractive and had to go to neighbouring countries will now relocate to Ghana in response to this new price because they already know that Ghana cocoa is premium. They actually prefer Ghana cocoa,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n<p>The Majority also assured cocoa farmers of continued government support aimed at boosting productivity and stabilising the sector.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Jasaw said Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) have been directed to settle outstanding payments owed to farmers, with COCOBOD expected to release funds to facilitate those payments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCocoa Board will pay the LBCs, and you will be paid,\u201d he assured farmers. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour cocoa beans that are still with you, don\u2019t be afraid. These cocoa beans will be bought and evacuated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He acknowledged that the remaining unsold cocoa is significantly smaller compared to what farmers have already sold, urging them to cooperate with the government as reforms take effect.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/JASAW-FARM.mp3.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n<p>The government, he added, will intensify support in the next production cycle through the supply of free fertilisers, the continuation of the free mass spraying programme and other productivity improvement interventions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are coming in with free fertilisers, free spraying and free productivity improvement programmes for you,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Read also: Gov\u2019t orders immediate payment to cocoa farmers, plans new COCOBOD bill<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cWhat you experienced this year, you are not going to experience next year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dr Jasaw assured that Parliament would exercise strict oversight to ensure that inputs reach the intended beneficiaries.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will follow this and make sure that inputs get to the right farmers. Be rest assured, with that environment, it will help the growth of your industry,\u201d he stated. <\/p>\n<p>The Majority insisted that while the price reduction may be difficult in the short term, the broader reform agenda is designed to safeguard Ghana\u2019s premium cocoa status and secure long-term sustainability for farmers and the industry as a whole.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson announced a revised cocoa producer price aimed at cushioning farmers against the recent decline in global cocoa prices.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, February 12, Dr Forson disclosed that the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), under his chairmanship, convened earlier in the day to assess the challenges facing the sector and to review the producer price for the remainder of the 2025\u20132026 crop season.<\/p>\n<p>In order to mitigate the impact of falling international prices, the PPRC recommended that farmers receive 90% of the achieved gross Free on Board (FOB) price of USD 4,200 per tonne.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe PPRC has recommended that the farmer be paid 90% of the achieved gross fob of USD 4,200 per tonne,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, the committee has set the new producer price at GH\u20b541,392 per tonne, equivalent to GH\u20b52,587 per bag, effective immediately<\/p>\n<\/div>\n        <div class=\"booster-block booster-reactions-block\">\n            <div class=\"twp-reactions-icons\">\n                \n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-1\" post-id=\"115227\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/happy.svg\" alt=\"Happy\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Happy                    <\/div>\n     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industry.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16854,16859,1883,10,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-115227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cocoa-price-cut","category-godfred-seidu-jasaw","category-national","category-politics","category-popular"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=115227"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115227\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=115227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=115227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=115227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}