President Akufo-Addo and some of the excited farmers after the news cocoa was announced
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has increased the price of cocoa bag from GH¢800 to GH¢1,308 for the 2023/2024 crop season to the delight of cocoa farmers.
President Akufo-Addo, who announced the new price for the crop season at Tepa in the Ashanti Region, said it was the highest price to be paid to cocoa farmers across West Africa in over 50 years, with the predicted stable prices above 2,600 threshold while the government continues to honour farmers with good prices in the years ahead.
Making the announcement, he stated that producer price of cocoa has been increased from GH¢12,800 per metric tonne to GH¢20,943 per metric tonne.
According to him, the sharp increase in producer price of cocoa was among a strategic and well calculated move by his administration to make cocoa farmers fabulously rich and respected in the country as it used to be in the past.
“I am happy to announce that the new producer price for cocoa beans per tonne is now GH¢20,983.00 which means a bag is now GH¢1,308.00,” the President announced to the gathering.
“This is the highest we have paid to cocoa farmers across West Africa in 50 years,” President Akufo-Addo pointed out, attracting a spontaneous shouts of approval from the cocoa farmers and other stakeholders in the cocoa sector.
President Akufo-Addo stated emphatically that the sharp increase in the producer price of cocoa this year would not be a nine-day wonder, assuring the farmers that his administration would sustain the positive initiative.
“Our message today can be summarised in words: Innovation, Impact and Jobs. COCOBOD has adopted innovations for improving productivity and improving farmer’s welfare. Through these innovations, over 130,000 jobs have been created. The full impact of these innovations will be felt in five-seven years’ time,” he said.
“Government through COCOBOD will continue to adopt innovations aimed at improving welfare of the Ghanaian farmer through the implementation of productivity enhancement programmes and remunerative producer pricing,” he added.
According to the President, to help address the challenges in the cocoa sector, the government has introduced a number of innovations with the overall objective of sustaining the cocoa sector which hinges on “resilience, competitiveness and robustness” as well as the introduction of the Productivity Enhancement Programmes (PEP) such as artificial pollination, irrigation, mass pruning of farms as well as timely and efficient access to fertiliser among others.
“To ensure that farmers receive the full value for the produce they offer for sale, the government has introduced a uniform non-adjustable electronic weighing mechanism for the purchase of cocoa. Cocoa buyers cannot adjust the weighing scale after it has been calibrated and sealed by the Ghana Standards Authority. In all, about 40,000 uniform non-adjustable electronic weighing scales have been distributed to farmers,” he disclosed.
President Akufo-Addo also appealed to the citizenry to consume cocoa products on a daily basis in order to improve their health and also contribute to improve the production of cocoa to benefit the country.
In response to an appeal by the Tepahene to fix cocoa roads, the President also announced that starting from October 1, 2023, COCOBOD and the Ministry of Agriculture would collaborate to complete cocoa roads in the country.
Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, expressed gross concern over the smuggling of cocoa to neighbouring countries by some unscrupulous people for their personal gains, calling for a stop to that weird act.
“I am announcing today that as a personal commitment, I will lead a war against the smuggling so that we nip this illegal act in the bud,” the minister stated, and added that illegal mining was also affecting cocoa farming.
Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the CEO of COCOBOD, on his part, lauded President Akufo-Addo for his personal resolve and determination to support cocoa farming and improve the lives of the farmers ever since he became the president.
Tepamanhene, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem and the Esumegyahene, Odeneho Nana Okyere Kusi, who represented the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in their respective addresses, highly commended the President for supporting the cocoa sector.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr & Ebenezer Amponsah