Cocoa and coffee farmers have indicated that they are happy with the current cocoa price set by government.

According to the farmers, they were happy that the government maintained the cocoa price, particularly at a time when the world price had fallen.

President of the Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Association of Ghana, Alhaji Alhassan Bukari, who spoke to Accra-based Kasapa FM, explained that cocoa farmers were hopeful that the government will increase cocoa price when the world market price of the commodity increases.

He said, “We are not politicians but we disagree with the Minority’s call for an increase in cocoa price now, judging by the situation on the world market.”

According to him, “We don’t have to put pressure on government. We know government will do the right thing when things get better. At the price review session, government explained issues to us and we accept the explanation.”

The Minority recently made a call in Parliament for an increment in cocoa price for cocoa farmers.

At a press conference on Monday, the Minority said the failure of government to increase cocoa price, despite the sharp drop of the commodity price on the international market from $3,000 to about $1,900, was unfair and amounted to stealing from farmers.

Agriculture Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, at a meeting earlier in Accra, announced that government was going to maintain the price for the 2016/2017 farming season for the 2017/2018 crop year.

“The price of cocoa on the international market has witnessed a dramatic decline to a 10-year low from more than $3,000 per tonne only 10 months ago to as low as $1,900 in recent months. The situation has compelled other countries to reduce drastically their producer prices of cocoa.”

But the Minority rejected the minister’s claims, saying the foundation laid by the former NDC administration was good enough to warrant an increase from the GH¢475 per bag.