The National Association of Cocoa Farmers has expressed displeasure with the recently increased cocoa price.

The Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) has announced an increase in the producer price of cocoa to GH¢48,000 per tonne for the 2024/2025 cocoa season.

This represents a 129% upward adjustment from the price announced in September 2023, setting the new price of a 64-kg bag of cocoa at GH¢3,000.

The new price is intended to enhance the income of cocoa farmers in line with the vision of the NPP government, in response to the rising cases of smuggling.

However, the President of the Association, Stephenson Anane, said they had expected their request for GH¢6,000 per 64-kg bag to be approved by the government.

"It was our expectation that our demand for GH¢6,000 would be approved, but that was not considered. We are extremely outraged by the new price. We are not trying to create a bad situation for the government, but our cocoa sector has become a political tool with which our politicians are playing. Our message is that the government has no investment in cocoa farms. It’s the farmers who invest significant resources into their farms.

"The government does not have commercial farms in Ghana, yet it does not regard us. When it comes to matters of cocoa and its related activities, they don’t consult the farmers. When the government considers any price or policies on cocoa, they don’t involve us," he disclosed.

"The government is exploiting cocoa farmers. We are being cheated. They take our cocoa, sell it, and return to give us peanuts. They have not introduced any meaningful policies to improve the lives of cocoa farmers.”