The farmers argue that the reported GH¢1,000 reduction in the producer price is a devastating blow to their livelihoods at a time when the cost of farm inputs, transportation, and basic living expenses continues to soar.
Speaking through local farmer associations, the growers insist that the earlier price offered a measure of relief amid rising fertilizer costs, labour charges, and inflationary pressures.
According to them, slashing the price now will not only deepen their financial hardship but also discourage cocoa production in the long term.
They warn that many smallholder farmers are already struggling with swollen shoot disease, climate-related challenges, and limited access to credit. A further drop in income, they say, could push some farmers out of cocoa farming altogether.
The farmers are therefore calling on the Ghana Cocoa Board and relevant authorities to urgently reconsider the decision and reinstate the GH¢3,100 rate to cushion them against mounting economic pressures.
As tensions simmer, the standoff underscores a broader national debate about how best to protect cocoa farmers — the backbone of Ghana’s agricultural export economy — while navigating global market fluctuations and domestic fiscal constraints.