John Dramani Mahama has described the recent reduction in the producer price of cocoa beans as a painful but necessary decision, insisting the move is aimed at rescuing Ghana’s struggling cocoa sector from deeper collapse.
The President was speaking on Friday, February 20, 2026, during a dialogue with the private sector at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City.
The controversy follows the government’s decision, announced on February 17, 2026, to reduce the producer price of cocoa, citing severe financial distress in the cocoa sector, mounting debt at the Ghana Cocoa Board, and falling productivity.
The decision triggered widespread backlash from farmers’ groups, sections of the opposition, and civil society organisations, who accused the government of shifting the burden of mismanagement onto cocoa farmers. The brouhaha intensified after the Minority in Parliament criticised the price cut on February 18, 2026, describing it as “cruel” and warning it could worsen poverty in cocoa-growing communities.
Reacting to the criticism in a media interview on February 19, 2026, Government Spokesperson Julius Anthony dismissed claims that the state should absorb the losses, arguing that years of mismanagement had left the cocoa sector financially strained.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Agricultural Workers Union said it was hopeful government would address the structural challenges in the sector but called for clear timelines and farmer-focused reforms.
Addressing business leaders in Accra, President Mahama said the cocoa price reduction was unavoidable if the sector was to be stabilised and made sustainable.
He explained that the cocoa industry is grappling with declining yields, smuggling, rising input costs, debt obligations, and weak pricing structures that threaten the long-term survival of the sector.
According to the President, reforms being rolled out will focus on improving efficiency at COCOBOD, reducing waste, supporting farmers with inputs and extension services, and restoring confidence in Ghana’s cocoa value chain.
The President assured cocoa farmers and industry players that government would engage stakeholders continuously and introduce support measures to cushion vulnerable farmers as the reforms take effect.
