The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Western North Region has accused the Mahama government of mismanaging Ghana’s cocoa sector, warning that farmers are unable to sell their produce weeks after a controversial reduction in the producer price of cocoa.
In a press statement issued on 9 March, the party said cocoa farmers across several producing communities are struggling to sell their beans because Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) lack the funds to purchase them.
According to the statement signed by the Western North Regional Communications Director of the NPP, Hon. Addo Harry, the government’s decision on February 12, 2026, to reduce the producer price of cocoa from GHC 3,625 per bag to GHS 2,587 has not addressed the underlying problems in the sector.
The party argued that 25 days after the price reduction, farmers are still unable to sell their cocoa because the purchasing system has effectively stalled.
“The price has been reduced, yet the money to buy cocoa is still not available. This exposes the government’s argument as nothing more than an excuse,” the statement said.
LBCs reportedly cash-strapped
The NPP said the core challenge facing the sector is the inability of Licensed Buying Companies to secure funds to continue operations.
According to the party, many LBCs have exhausted their working capital because the state, through the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has not paid them for large quantities of cocoa already purchased and delivered.
“As a result, the LBCs have exhausted their working capital and are unable to continue purchasing cocoa from farmers,” the statement noted.
Farmers forced to store unsold cocoa
The party said the situation is particularly difficult in the Western North Region, one of the country’s major cocoa-producing areas, where farmers are reportedly storing bags of cocoa in homes and warehouses due to the absence of buyers.
It warned that prolonged delays in purchasing cocoa could affect farmers’ livelihoods and threaten the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
Calls for urgent intervention
The NPP is calling on the government to immediately release funds to COCOBOD to settle outstanding payments owed to Licensed Buying Companies and restore normal cocoa purchasing activities.
The party also demanded that the producer price be restored to its previous level.
“We will continue to stand firmly with cocoa farmers and will not remain silent while their livelihoods are being destroyed by incompetence and poor policy decisions,” the statement added.
Background
Ghana’s cocoa sector has faced increasing financial pressures in recent years, with concerns over rising debts at COCOBOD and declining global cocoa prices affecting government revenue and producer incentives.
The government earlier defended the recent price reduction as a necessary measure to stabilize the cocoa purchasing system and manage financial obligations within the sector.
However, farmer groups and political actors have continued to question the policy, arguing that delays in payments to Licensed Buying Companies and logistical challenges within the cocoa supply chain remain unresolved.
The debate over cocoa pricing and sector management comes at a critical time as Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, seeks to maintain output and protect the incomes of hundreds of thousands of cocoa farmers nationwide.
