Accra, Ghana – February 20, 2026 – Dozens of cocoa farmers from the Western North Region on Friday staged a passionate protest at the headquarters of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in Accra, expressing their anger over falling producer prices and significant delays in payments for their beans.
Dressed in red, a color symbolizing distress, the farmers gathered at the state-owned agency's premises, carrying placards and chanting slogans. They accused the government of failing to protect their livelihoods, which have been severely impacted by a recent downward revision of the cocoa producer price for the current crop season.
"The prices were not reduced under the previous regimes; why is this administration reducing it?" one frustrated farmer questioned. "We have no problem with the government, they should just leave the prices to remain the same."
The Core Grievances: Price and Payment Delays
The protest action is a direct response to two interconnected issues:
1. Reduced Producer Price: The government, through the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) chaired by the Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, announced a new producer price on February 12, 2026. The price was set at GH¢41,392 per tonne and GH¢2,587 per bag, effective immediately for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season.
2. Delayed Payments: Farmers claim that despite assurances that COCOBOD has released funds to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), many producers are yet to see any money at the farmgate level. This delay, they say, is crippling their ability to meet basic needs, including paying for their children's school fees.
Government's Justification for the Price Cut
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson had earlier justified the price adjustment, explaining that it was necessitated by a sharp and sudden fall in the international price of cocoa. According to the Minister, the global price plummeted from an average of US$7,200 per tonne to about US$4,100 per tonne.
Dr. Forson stated that this dramatic drop made Ghana's cocoa uncompetitive on the world market and created severe liquidity challenges for COCOBOD. The price review was therefore presented as a necessary, albeit difficult, measure to stabilize the sector.
Farmer Reactions and the Human Impact
For the farmers who gathered in Accra, the government's explanation does little to alleviate their immediate hardship. They argue that the reduced price, combined with the lack of prompt payment, has pushed them into financial distress.
"The prices were not reduced under the previous regimes; why is this administration reducing it," the farmer reiterated, capturing the sentiment of the group. Their core demand is an urgent upward review of the producer price and the immediate settlement of all outstanding payments owed to them through the LBCs.
The protest highlights the fragile state of Ghana's cocoa sector, which is a major pillar of the national economy. As the farmers returned home from their picket, the central question remains: how will the government balance the realities of the global market with the need to protect the livelihoods of the millions who depend on cocoa farming?
