The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has increased the producer price of cocoa from GH¢41,392 to GH¢42,400 per tonne for the 2026/27 cocoa season.
The new price took effect on Friday, September 25, 2026, following the official opening of the new cocoa season. The adjustment represents an increase of GH¢1,008 per tonne, or about 2.4 per cent, compared with the 2025/26 season.
Under the new arrangement, cocoa farmers will receive GH¢2,650 for a 64-kilogramme bag, up from the previous GH¢2,587. This means farmers will earn an additional GH¢63 per bag under the revised producer price. COCOBOD said the new price represents 71.18 per cent of the realised gross Free-on-Board (FOB) value of cocoa.
The announcement was made by COCOBOD Chief Executive Officer Dr Randy Abbey during activities marking the opening of the 2026/27 cocoa season. According to COCOBOD, the new price was reached after consultations involving the Ministry of Finance, cocoa farmers and stakeholders within the cocoa marketing chain, including licensed buying companies, hauliers and processors.
The price adjustment comes alongside reforms introduced under the Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 2026 (Act 1182). COCOBOD says the new law guarantees cocoa farmers a minimum of 70 per cent of the realised gross free on board price and provides measures to strengthen the financial and institutional sustainability of the cocoa sector.
The reforms also include stronger protection for cocoa farms against illegal small-scale mining, a new financing framework aimed at supporting domestic value addition, and restrictions on COCOBOD engaging in certain quasi-fiscal activities.
The increase in the cocoa producer price marks the beginning of the 2026/27 cocoa season with farmers receiving a higher guaranteed price for their produce. Although the increase is GH¢1,008 per tonne compared with the previous season, the revised rate also comes at a time when COCOBOD is implementing broader reforms to change how the cocoa sector is financed and managed.
COCOBOD has also announced plans for a new domestic financing programme to support cocoa purchases during the season. Its subsidiary, Cocoa Capital PLC, plans to raise up to GH¢16.3 billion through a domestic cocoa notes programme, with the funds intended partly to finance cocoa purchases and partly to refinance existing COCOBOD debt.
For cocoa farmers, the immediate change is clear: the producer price is now GH¢42,400 per tonne, equivalent to GH¢2,650 per 64kg bag. The effectiveness of the new pricing structure, however, will also depend on production, market conditions, financing and the implementation of the reforms throughout the 2026/27 season.
BY: NKETIAH PIOUS OWUSU
