A recent survey by Global InfoAnalytics indicates that most cocoa farmers in Ghana consider the government’s newly announced farmgate price fair, despite street protests and political criticism.
The poll found that 56% of cocoa farmers viewed the new price as fair, 11% deemed it unfair, and 33% were neutral. The findings follow unrest after the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) announced on February 12, 2026, that the farmgate price would be set at GH¢2,587 per 64-kg bag (GH¢41,392 per tonne), down from GH¢3,625 in October 2025 — a reduction of roughly 28.6%.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who chairs the PPRC, defended the adjustment, citing a sharp decline in global cocoa prices. “International prices have fallen to about $4,100 per tonne from an average of $7,200, making Ghana’s beans uncompetitive and discouraging buyers,” he said. He added that the new price represents 90% of the achieved Free on Board (FOB) export price, up from roughly 70% under the previous pricing.
Payments to farmers have begun, with an initial GH¢237 million covering 50,000 tonnes, followed by GH¢854 million as of February 19. However, many farmers say the funds have yet to reach their farms.
Alongside the price adjustment, the government plans broader reforms, including a new Cocoa Bill to prevent COCOBOD from undertaking quasi-fiscal expenditures, introduce automatic price adjustments guaranteeing farmers at least 70% of the FOB price, and replace international syndicated loans with domestic cocoa bonds. Officials also plan to cover about $150 million in losses from beans already supplied at the old, higher price.
COCOBOD CEO Randy Abbey described the board’s financial position as “the most precarious in its nearly 80-year history,” noting the institution inherited a negative equity of GH¢3.8 billion, a first in its history.
The survey, conducted from February 19 to 24, sampled 7,554 people across 83 constituencies in all 16 regions, with a 99% confidence level and a margin of error of ±1.5%. Overall, 44% of respondents said the price was fair, 31% unfair, and 26% neutral.
Party affiliation influenced opinions: 53% of NPP supporters rated the price as unfair, compared to 14% of NDC supporters, while floating voters were more balanced. Regionally, dissatisfaction was highest in Western North (62%), whereas Savannah (85%), Central (60%), and Western (60%) were most supportive.
A coalition of cocoa farmers has signaled willingness to accept lower future prices if outstanding arrears are cleared first, reflecting a pragmatic approach: frustrated by the cut, but aware of global market realities.
This survey suggests that while protests capture public attention, a majority of cocoa farmers are accepting the government’s revised pricing amid challenging market conditions.
