The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has called on government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to immediately pay cocoa farmers for produce sold since November 2025, warning that delays in payment are pushing farmers into severe hardship and threatening the sustainability of the cocoa industry.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday on behalf of the minority, Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs committee and MP for Ofinso South, Dr Isaac Yaw Opoku said Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) have failed to pay farmers not because of negligence, but due to the inability of COCOBOD to reimburse them for cocoa already purchased and delivered.
According to the Ranking Member, COCOBOD currently owes LBCs more than GH¢10 billion in defaulted receipts for cocoa taken over, leaving the buying companies financially constrained and unable to continue operations.
“The LBCs have borrowed from banks and off-taker traders to pre-finance the harvest, but their funds have been locked up without reimbursement,” Dr Opoku said, adding that this has forced farmers to sell their cocoa on credit, at discounted prices, or return home with unsold produce.
The Minority described the situation as unprecedented and warned of dire consequences for the national economy, given the strategic importance of cocoa to Ghana’s export earnings and rural livelihoods.
The Caucus also dismissed claims by COCOBOD that sufficient funds had been released to LBCs, describing such assertions as misleading.
“The reality is that farmers are not being paid for cocoa sold to the Mahama-led NDC Government since November last year,” the statement said, noting that for farmers who depend solely on cocoa, the past three months have been extremely difficult.
The Minority cited several cases of hardship, including a farmer who reportedly sold 100 bags of cocoa but could not afford medication for high blood pressure, and another whose wife could not access prescribed drugs due to lack of funds. Other farmers, it said, are struggling to pay school fees for their children.
“For the first time in the history of this country, cocoa farmers had to postpone Christmas celebrations because they had not been paid for their produce,” the Caucus claimed.
The minority also accused the government of failing to honour campaign promises made ahead of the 2024 elections, including pledges to increase the producer price of cocoa to between GH¢6,000 and GH¢7,000 per bag.
Currently, the farmgate price stands at GH¢3,625 per 64kg bag, which the Minority said is far below what was promised. It further criticised reports that government is considering reducing the price further to enable payments.
“Such a move would amount to the mother of all betrayals of trust with cocoa farmers,” the Caucus warned.
The Minority also alleged that government’s management of COCOBOD since assuming office in January 2025 has prioritised administrative spending over farmer welfare, citing mass transfers and promotions within the institution, which it said have resulted in millions of cedis in avoidable costs.
According to the Caucus, the payment delays are not only hurting farmers but also undermining indigenous cocoa buying companies and transporters whose working capital has been locked up.
“These businesses are at risk, their investments threatened and financing confidence undermined,” the statement said.
The Minority demanded an immediate apology from government and COCOBOD, full reimbursement of all outstanding payments to LBCs, and prompt payment to farmers for all cocoa delivered.
“Cocoa farmers are not beggars. Paying them promptly is not a favour; it is an obligation,” the statement concluded.
By: Christian Kpesese
