Producer price raised to GH¢58,000 to curb cocoa smuggling

The Ghanaian government increased the cocoa producer price to GH¢58,000 per tonne to prevent smuggling and stabilise the 2025/26 cocoa season.

The decision followed an emergency Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, to assess developments in the cocoa sector and address longstanding structural challenges.

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson later disclosed details of the discussions after a media engagement on a new direction for cocoa financing in Ghana on Thursday.

The 2025/26 cocoa season began in August 2025 with a producer price of GH¢51,660 per tonne.

The figure was calculated as 70 per cent of the Gross FOB price of US$7,200 per tonne, using an exchange rate of 10.25 cedis to the dollar.

However, on October 1, 2025, Côte d’Ivoire announced a new producer price “20% above that of Ghana.”

Authorities indicated that this move, combined with exchange rate movements, created “significant difference in the producer price of cocoa between Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.”

According to the statement, “This price difference had the potential to trigger significant smuggling of Ghana’s cocoa to Côte d’Ivoire.” The development raised concerns about revenue losses and supply disruptions within Ghana’s cocoa value chain.

In response, the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) revised the farmgate price upward.

The statement noted that “the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) adjusted the producer price to GH¢58,000 per tonne to reflect an exchange rate of 11.5 cedis to the US dollar at the time.”

Government maintained that “the decision by the PPRC to increase the producer price of cocoa made Ghana’s farmgate price competitive and stemmed the potential smuggling of Ghana’s crop.”

Meanwhile, from October 2025, global cocoa prices began to decline.

“While the price was declining, COCOBOD continued to sell the beans until the price went below US$6,400 per tonne, which is the cost of cocoa from the farmer to the port,” the statement added.

The emergency Cabinet session forms part of broader efforts to reposition the sector.