The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCBOD), Fiifi Boafo, has stated that cocoa farmers in Ghana receive significant government interventions, unlike their counterparts in Cote d’Ivoire.
He also defended the government against claims that cocoa producers were being shortchanged, even though the farmgate price for cocoa had increased by 58%.
“The premium levels are different I admit, but in Cote D’Ivoire, there’s nothing like cooling down periods for cocoa farmers. There’s nothing like a subsidised fertiliser given to cocoa farmers. All interventions COCOBOD is giving to farmers in Ghana, their Ivorian counterparts are not enjoying the same.”
“We’re treating more of our farms affected, you can say today that the numbers are not looking good, but it’s as a result of an action taken to ensure going into the future, we are in a better position to produce cocoa,” said Mr. Boafo in an interview on Accra-based Citi TV.
Meanwhile, the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs and the National Democratic Congress Member (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo South, Eric Opoku, noted in a statement that the increment amounted to a “paltry 25.47 percent” of the world market price.
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“It is sad to note that the newly announced producer price of GH¢33,120 per tonne, which translates into GH¢2,070 per bag, constitutes a paltry 25.47 percent of the world market price of cocoa,” it said.
But Mr. Boafo maintained that, except for 2023, Ghanaian cocoa farmers have consistently received higher payments than their Ivorian counterparts over the past seven years.
In response to accusations of exploitation, he dismissed the claims that the government is shortchanging farmers by stating that cocoa farmers in Ghana receive $47 more than those in Cote d’Ivoire.
“The difference between how much Ghana is paying cocoa farmers, and the Ivorians are paying cocoa farmers [is that], we’re paying $47 more to our Ghanaian farmers compared to Ivorian farmers.
“And the people who told us to replicate what the Ivorians have done, now say that what we have done is wrong and we are cheating the cocoa farmers. If I’m asked to do something someone is doing and I do the same, do you accuse me of doing the wrong thing, no.”
“Last year [2023] due to the exchange rate, the Ivorians’ price got better than Ghana’s. But the government in the last 7 years, with the exception of last year [2023] has paid better price to cocoa farmers as compared to the Ivorian counterparts,” he said.