Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto
GOVERNMENT HAS maintained the cocoa producer price at GH¢10,560 per tonne for the 2021/2022 season.
The Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) on Cocoa which made this known Friday in Accra, said this in spite of the fall in the world market price of the commodity.
The price per tonne translates into GH¢660 per bag of 64 kilogramme gross weight and takes effect from Friday, October 8, 2021.
Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, chairman of the committee, who addressed the media, said “The price is the highest within the sub-region. This demonstrates Government’s commitment to sustain the interest of the cocoa farmer in producing cocoa and also to improve the well-being of cocoa farmers. The producer price of cocoa was maintained when all cocoa producing countries are contemplating a reduction in their farm gate prices following a slump in the terminal cocoa market as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He continued that “through the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire Initiative, we have continued to implement the living income differential which is helping to improve the welfare of cocoa farmers in both countries. It is significant to note that today, cocoa farmers in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire are better off than their counterparts in other cocoa producing countries as a result of this noble initiative.”
He said Government will in the 2021/2022 season, implement the cocoa farmers’ pension scheme.
“Further to assist the farmer to enjoy the full benefits from their investments, Government has introduced a uniform non-adjustable electronic weighing for the purchase of cocoa. The use of digital scale takes effect from Friday, October 8, 2021. The scale has been certified by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and has been ascertained to conform to mandatory requirements. Cocoa buyers cannot adjust the weighing scale after it has been calibrated and sealed by the GSA. We advise the licensed buying companies to cooperate with the GSA to set up the scales and use them to weigh farmers’ cocoa.”
Dr Afriyie Akoto also announced that the committee has approved the rates and fees for all other stakeholders in the supply chain. These include the buyers’ margin, hauliers’ rate, warehousing and internal marketing costs, as well as fees for disinfestations, grading and sealing and scale inspection.
“Government will continue to support cocoa farmers through the pests and diseases control programme (mass spraying), hi-tech, pruning, hand pollination and cocoa rehabilitation. Government has also committed itself to continue to supply certified planting materials that are drought tolerant, early bearing and high yielding. The implementation of these productivity enhancement programme resulted in the achievement of a record production of 1,046,958 tonnes for the 2020/2021 season.
“It is announced for the information of all cocoa farmers and other stakeholders that COCOBOD has made available funds, jute sacks and related logistics for the smooth take-off of the 2021/2022 main crop season,” he stressed.