Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Eric Opoku, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring competitive prices for cocoa farmers.
He gave the assurance while contributing to a statement on the floor of Parliament on Friday, February 14, 2025, as part of the Chocolate Day celebration, which coincides with the global celebration of St. Valentine’s Day.
The minister stated that the government will roll out an initiative with the aim of incentivising increased production amidst declining output at the Cocoa Processing Company (CPC).Mr. Eric Opoku lamented that Ghana’s CPC has seen a decline since 2023.
He indicated that although the company had the capacity to produce 64,500 tonnes, it produced only 6,614 tonnes in 2023 and 2,886 tonnes in 2024.
He attributed the decline to reduced cocoa bean production, which he claimed affected supply to the processing company.
To address this challenge, the minister announced that the government will exceed the 60 percent proposal and offer cocoa farmers 70 percent of the world market price.
“Since 2023, CPC’s production has been on a downward trend. Despite having a processing capacity of 64,500 tonnes, the company produced only 6,614 tonnes in 2023 and 2,886 tonnes in 2024. This decline is largely due to reduced cocoa bean production, which has affected supply to the processing company.
To address this challenge, I announced government’s decision to exceed the initial 60 percent proposal and offer cocoa farmers 70 percent of the world market price. This increase is intended to motivate farmers, boost production, and further cement Ghana’s standing as the world’s second largest producer of cocoa.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
