The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has strongly rejected claims that cocoa farmers in Ghana are being underpaid, insisting that producers here enjoy the highest farmgate price in West Africa.
In a statement backed by fresh market data, COCOBOD dismissed reports suggesting that Ivorian farmers are better off, calling such claims “factually inaccurate and misleading.”
It argued that Ghanaian cocoa producers are not only fairly rewarded, but also ahead of their neighbours in Côte d’Ivoire in terms of earnings.
According to the August 2025 Commodity Analysis Team report, Ghana’s official producer price stands at ₵3,228.75 per 64-kilogram bag, equivalent to ₵51,660 per tonne or US$5,040 per metric tonne.
Côte d’Ivoire, by comparison, pays ₵2,553.38 per 64-kilogram bag or ₵40,854 per tonne (US$3,886/MT).
This translates into a clear price advantage of ₵675.38 per bag (US$64.16) and ₵10,806 per tonne (US$1,154) in favour of Ghanaian farmers.
Breaking the figures down further, it was stated that Ghanaian farmers earn ₵51.65 (US$5.04) per kilo, while Ivorian farmers earn ₵40.85 (US$3.89).
For each 64-kilo bag, Ghanaian farmers receive about US$315, compared with US$227 in Côte d’Ivoire. On a tonne basis, Ghanaian cocoa fetches US$5,040, while Ivorian cocoa earns US$3,630.
COCOBOD emphasised that these figures prove Ghana’s farmgate price is not just higher but the most competitive in the sub-region.
The regulator argued that, at current levels, Ghanaian farmers are receiving over ₵10,000 extra per tonne compared to their Ivorian peers.
The Board said the pricing reflects government’s commitment to ensuring rewarding returns for farmers’ hard work, shielding them from foreign exchange volatility, and discouraging smuggling by keeping domestic prices attractive.
“Ghana’s cocoa remains the global benchmark for quality, and with the highest farmgate price in West Africa, it also guarantees better livelihoods for our farmers,” COCOBOD declared.
