File photo of cocoa farmers
Cocoa farmers in the Ahafo Ano South-West District have called on the government, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), and other key stakeholders to enact a comprehensive legal framework to regulate the cocoa industry and safeguard farmers’ interests.
The appeal was made by about 160 concerned cocoa farmers at a press conference held at Mankranso, the District Capital.
Edward Kwame Yeboah, the 2025 National Best Cocoa Farmer, addressing the media on the theme, “Stop the Cocoa Politics,” noted that frequent changes in government often lead to policy shifts that disrupt cocoa farming activities.
He stressed the need for a permanent parliamentary act to provide policy continuity and protect farmers from political interference.
Yeboah acknowledged current government interventions, including the proposed 70 percent automatic price adjustment mechanism, distribution of free fertilizer, and supply of cocoa seedlings, describing them as beneficial but unsustainable without firm legal backing to ensure implementation by successive administrations.
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He emphasised that cocoa farmers were non-partisan actors who deserved impartial treatment under a stable legal regime insulated from political manipulation and prejudice.
Yeboah urged farmers to accept the current producer price and remain patient for future increments, as promised by government when international market conditions improve.
He said such a restraint would demonstrate patriotism and commitment to national development amid declining global cocoa prices, which have affected government revenue.
He also advised groups of farmers, staging demonstrations without recognised representation to desist, explaining that legitimate farmer representatives already participate in national price negotiation processes.
He encouraged cocoa farmer leaders to maintain effective communication with their members by sharing outcomes of negotiations to prevent misinformation and mistrust.
Yeboah appealed to Cocoa Buying Companies and their Purchasing Clerks to honour government directives on prompt payments, noting that some farmers remain unpaid weeks after the official price announcement.
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