The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Mahamudu Bawumia, has announced plans to develop a comprehensive policy alternative aimed at addressing the growing challenges confronting Ghana’s cocoa sector following concerns over the government’s recent producer price reduction.
Dr. Bawumia made the announcement after receiving a report from a Minority Caucus Select Committee that toured cocoa-growing communities across the country to engage farmers and assess the impact of current developments within the industry.
The move comes in the wake of the government’s decision on February 12 to reduce the cocoa producer price to GH¢41,392 per tonne, equivalent to GH¢2,587 per bag, for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season. The decision has sparked concerns among cocoa farmers and stakeholders who fear the reduction could negatively affect producer incomes and the sustainability of cocoa production.
To better understand the concerns of farmers, the Minority Caucus constituted a select committee led by Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh. The committee embarked on a nationwide tour of cocoa-growing areas, gathering feedback and recommendations from farmers and industry players.
Speaking during the presentation of the committee’s report, Dr. Bawumia said the findings would be submitted to the NPP’s Policy Committee on Agriculture, Food Security and Agribusiness for further technical assessment.
According to him, the committee will be tasked with reviewing the report, consulting industry experts and developing practical, costed policy proposals that can address the challenges identified during the stakeholder engagements.
“What I am looking at with the presentation of this report is to take this Select Committee report to the Policy Committee on Agriculture, Food Security, and Agribusiness. We are going to ask this committee to technically review the findings, consult experts in the area, and then bring forward costed policy alternatives for us,” he stated.
Dr. Bawumia emphasised that the proposed alternatives would be evidence-based and designed to improve the welfare of cocoa farmers while strengthening the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
The former Vice President noted that the recommendations would form part of broader policy discussions aimed at revitalising the cocoa sector, enhancing farmer productivity and ensuring that producers receive fair returns for their efforts.
The expected policy proposals are anticipated to contribute significantly to national conversations on agricultural development, food security and the future of Ghana’s cocoa industry, which remains a critical pillar of the country’s economy and a major source of livelihood for thousands of farming households.
