The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced an increase in the producer price of cocoa for the 2026/2027 season, raising it from GH¢41,392 to GH¢42,400 per tonne.
The new price was announced by the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Dr. Randy Abbey, as part of arrangements to open the new cocoa season.
The adjustment represents an increase of GH¢1,008 per tonne over the previous price, equivalent to a rise of about 2.4 percent.
Dr. Abbey also disclosed a realised Free-On-Board (FOB) price of US$2,650 per tonne for the 2026/2027 season. According to COCOBOD, the new producer price amounts to 71.18 percent of the realised FOB value — a figure the Board says reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring cocoa farmers receive a significant share of the value generated from their produce.
Reforms in the Cocoa Sector
The price adjustment comes as the cocoa sector undergoes broader reforms aimed at improving COCOBOD’s financial sustainability while protecting the incomes of farmers.
The new pricing framework follows the passage of the Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 2026, which provides for an automatic adjustment mechanism linked to international cocoa prices, exchange rates, and other relevant factors. The law also guarantees farmers at least 70 percent of the gross FOB price.
New Financing Approach
COCOBOD is also restructuring how cocoa purchases are financed, as the government seeks to reduce the sector’s dependence on traditional international syndicated loans and attract greater participation from domestic investors.
Central to this new approach is the proposed Cocoa Notes Programme, through which COCOBOD intends to mobilise funding from Ghana’s domestic capital market to support cocoa purchases and related operations.
The 2026/2027 season therefore begins against the backdrop of significant changes in cocoa pricing, financing, and sector management, with the new producer price expected to shape purchasing arrangements and farmer incomes in the months ahead.
By Gifty Boateng