President John Dramani Mahama has underscored the importance of shaping Ghana’s cocoa policies around the lived experiences of farmers, drawing on his own background as a cocoa grower to highlight the real-life consequences of government pricing decisions.
Addressing participants at the maiden Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, President Mahama said his personal involvement in cocoa farming has given him first-hand insight into the economic challenges confronting producers, especially amid recent volatility in global markets.
According to him, policy decisions, particularly those concerning producer prices have immediate and direct effects on farmers’ livelihoods.
“Nana Kwebu Ewusi gave me 50 acres of land, and I planted cocoa on the 50 acres, so I am a cocoa farmer. So, when the price is reduced by the government, it affects me too. I want to be able to empathise with farmers so that when we take any policy decision, we know that it has an effect on farmers and we feel it ourselves,” he stated.
His remarks come in the wake of reforms within the cocoa sector that saw the farmgate price reduced from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per bag, a move authorities said was necessary to align with fluctuations on the international market.
Ghana remains the world’s second-largest cocoa producer after Côte d’Ivoire, with the crop serving as a major source of foreign exchange and supporting more than 800,000 farming households. Beyond primary production, the sector sustains millions of people through transportation, processing, and related value chains.
Global cocoa prices experienced dramatic swings in 2024, soaring to historic highs of over $10,000 per tonne before retreating sharply as production forecasts improved and markets stabilised.
The volatility has heightened uncertainty for both policymakers and producers.
President Mahama emphasised that decisions taken by the Ghana Cocoa Board regarding annual producer price adjustments must reflect the realities in farming communities, where household incomes, education, and general welfare depend heavily on cocoa earnings.
He stressed that ongoing reforms must be guided by principles of fairness, sustainability, and long-term sectoral growth.
The summit, organised with support from the Ghana Tree Crops Authority, seeks to attract investment into major tree crops such as cocoa, cashew, rubber, coconut, and oil palm as part of efforts to diversify the agricultural sector and promote value addition.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment, President Mahama said strengthening pricing mechanisms, boosting productivity, and ensuring equitable returns for farmers would be central to safeguarding the future of Ghana’s cocoa industry and preserving its competitiveness on the global stage.
