Government has increased the producer price of cocoa by 21% from GH¢10,560 per tonne to GH¢12,800.00 for the 2022/2023 season, starting from Friday, October 14, 2022.
Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who announced this at a press briefing in Accra yesterday, said the producer price represents 89.99% of the net FOB value.
“This figure translates into GH¢800 per bag of 64 kg gross weight and takes effect from Friday, 14th October, 2022,” he explained.
Sixteen bags of cocoa is equivalent to one tonne.
According to the minister, the 21% rise in the producer price of cocoa is a testament to government’s resolve to ensure farmers earn a decent income and make cocoa farming lucrative, adding that government will continue to implement initiatives to build a robust, resilient and sustainable cocoa industry where cocoa farmers and their communities will thrive.
“I wish to assure all stakeholders that COCOBOD has made available funds, jute sacks and related logistics for the smooth take-off of the 2022/23 Main Crop Season,” he added.
He said other measures that will be embarked upon by government to provide decent standard of living for Ghanaian cocoa farmers after retirement, from November 2022 include a pension scheme among others under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo.
The minister mentioned that the committee had also approved the rates and fees for all other stakeholders in the supply chain.
These, he said, include the buyers’ margin, hauliers’ rate, warehousing and internal marketing costs, as well as fees for disinfestation, grading and sealing and scale inspection.
He further reiterated government’s support to cocoa farmers through the pests and diseases control programme (mass spraying) and rehabilitation of diseased cocoa farms, as government continue to assist cocoa farmers by making the requisite inputs such as fertilisers available for farmers to buy, to increase farm productivity.
He also mentioned the European Union will soon legislate regulations on due diligence on deforestation and forest degradation to ensure that cocoa is sustainably produced in Ghana, making issues of deforestation and forest degradation an important measure in meeting the EU due diligence requirements.
Touching on Cocoa Management System (CMS), the minister said government has not relented in ensuring that cocoa produced in Ghana is free from deforestation and child labour.
He stated that government through COCOBOD is developing the Cocoa Management System to enable Ghana to meet the EU due diligence requirements.
“Once completed, the CMS will establish a national mandatory traceability system which will be transparent and accountable. This will ensure that all Ghana cocoa beans are traceable from the port of shipment to the plot of land that produced the beans. This is a key requirement under the European Union due diligence requirements.
“I am pleased to inform you that the first component of the CMS, which involves the establishment of a reliable farmer database (farm mapping and enumeration), is expected to be completed by the end of October 2022,” he added.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah