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The Minority Caucus in Parliament is urging the government to promptly raise the producer price of cocoa to a minimum of GH¢7,400 per bag, pointing to the recent rise in global market prices.
They highlighted that the world market price for cocoa has surpassed $11,000 per ton, with a government commitment to pay farmers 70% of this market price. During a press conference held on February 19, Mr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Offinso South, asserted that the existing producer price is insufficient and called for an urgent reassessment.
“We therefore demand an immediate adjustment to set the new producer price at no less than GH¢7,400 per bag for farmers,” he stated.
The Caucus expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s alleged failure to fulfill its campaign pledge to pay cocoa farmers 70% of the world market price.
“The anxiety among farmers has intensified during the 44 days since the National Democratic Congress (NDC) took office, and it is crucial to address their concerns promptly,” the MP emphasized.
Additionally, they referenced an announcement from the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr. Eric Opoku, indicating that the government would provide cocoa farmers with 70% of the world market price for their crops, an increase from the initially proposed 60%.
“This is not the first time the sector Minister has made such promises; it has been a recurring theme in his campaign,” he remarked.
The Caucus stated that the government’s reluctance to increase the producer price could jeopardize the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and contradict President John Dramani Mahama’s pledge to ensure fair compensation for Ghanaian cocoa producers.
