Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku addressing the media
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on the government to honour its pledge to cocoa farmers and pay them 70% of the world market price for their produce.
This request follows promises made by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 election campaign, in which they committed to providing cocoa farmers with a fairer share of the cocoa market price.
Speaking at a press conference, the Minority stressed the need for immediate action, emphasising that cocoa farmers’ expectations have been raised after the NDC’s consistent campaign message that farmers deserved a larger portion of the world market price.
During the election period, leading members of the NDC, including Eric Opoku, who is now the Minister for Agriculture, accused the previous government of underpaying farmers, stating that cocoa farmers were being shortchanged by the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
At the time, the world market price of cocoa had surged to $10,000 per ton, an amount equivalent to GH¢150,000 per ton at the exchange rate of GH¢15. However, the farmers were paid far less, with the Minority party arguing that they should have been paid GH¢6,250 per bag of 64 kilos, a two-thirds share of the world price.
Since then, the world price of cocoa has continued to climb, exceeding $11,000 per ton in early 2025, offering good news for the country’s cocoa farmers.
According to the Minority, the Minister for Agriculture, Eric Opoku, recently reiterated the government’s commitment to pay farmers 70% of the world market price, a move aimed at boosting farmer motivation, increasing production, and strengthening Ghana’s position as the world’s second-largest cocoa producer.
However, the Minority Caucus, led by Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, Member of Parliament for Offinso South, expressed concern that the government has not yet acted on this pledge.
Dr. Opoku reminded Ghanaians that the NDC made a clear promise to farmers during the election period, and they must now follow through.
“The time for action is now. With the price of cocoa on the rise, we demand that the government immediately review the producer price and pay farmers their rightful share of the world market price,” Dr. Opoku stated.
“Farmers have been waiting for a long time, and the government must not let their anxieties grow further,” he added.
According to the Minority, the world market price of cocoa has risen to GH¢170,500 per ton, which equates to GH¢7,495 per bag of 64 kilos.
They called for farmers to be paid at least this amount per bag, urging the government to swiftly implement the revised price.
The Minority pointed out that in the past, the government had reviewed the producer price during the crop year when market conditions warranted it, citing previous price revisions in 2023 and 2024.
Dr. Opoku also urged the government to remember its campaign promises to cocoa farmers and to make the necessary adjustments without further delay.
“We believe that the new price should be no less than GH¢7,400 per bag, and this should be announced as soon as possible,” Dr. Opoku added.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House