Management of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has indicated that a statement by former President, John Dramani Mahama, regarding the increase in cocoa producer prices every year during his administration is inaccurate.
According to COCOBOD, information available to it proves otherwise the former President’s assertion of such increase in cocoa producer prices. It revealed that specifically, there was no upward adjustment of the producer price of cocoa in the 2012/2013 Crop Season.
Similarly, COCOBOD indicated that the producer price of the preceding season was maintained for the 2015/2016 Crop Season, with no upward adjustment.
“Management also wishes to place on record, that the Former President’s statement regarding the increase in cocoa producer prices every year during his administration is inaccurate, since the records available point to the opposite.”
Ghana Cocoa Board
COCOBOD stated that indeed, within a three-year period of the former President’s administration, especially within the 2010/2011 to 2012/2013 crop season, there was a total of six percent increase in the producer price.
In contrast, it highlighted that within the last three years, there has been a 23 percent, 0 percent and a 21 percent increase in the producer price of cocoa.
“It is important to note that the producer price is largely determined by international market prices as well as other industry costs, and every effort is made to arrive at a producer price that is fair to farmers even when international market conditions are unfavourable.”
Ghana Cocoa Board
COCOBOD assures public of thriving cocoa industry
Furthermore, COCOBOD assured the general public that the cocoa industry is not collapsing as being portrayed by the former President. It explained that Ghana recorded its highest ever cocoa production volume of one million and forty-five thousand five hundred metric tonnes in the 2020/21 Crop Season.
Additionally, COCOBOD asserted that a cocoa industry which holds the position as the second highest producer in the world cannot also be said to have collapsed.
“COCOBOD continues to invest in interventions which will ensure not just the sustenance but the growth of the industry. Notably, the Hand Pollination Programme that increases pod count; the Mass Pruning Programme to enhance pests and disease control and induce flowering as well as the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme which seeks to deal with the Cocoa Swollen Shoot virus disease that has ravaged about 45% of our cocoa tree stock. This is the biggest intervention that has ever been made to reverse the major threats that face the industry.”
Ghana Cocoa Board
It will be recalled that former President, John Mahama, accused the Akufo-Addo-led government of destroying the cocoa sector.
Mr Mahama lamented the rate at which cocoa farmers in the country are selling their lands off to galamsey operators because cocoa production is no longer profitable.
According to him, the Akufo-Addo-led government has succeeded in destroying the cocoa sector of the Ghanaian economy. He indicated that cocoa farmers were previously paid instantly during the era of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) whenever they sold their cocoa. However, presently, he stated that it now takes the farmers several months to receive payment.
Speaking during his campaign tour of the Western North Region on April 25, 2023, Mr Mahama noted that these factors have negatively impacted the cocoa sector.
Furthermore, the former President recounted that hitherto and for every year under the NDC administration, the government adjusted the producer prices for cocoa. However, currently, he stated that the government does little adjustment once in four years and this has affected the cocoa business badly, making it no longer lucrative.
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