Cocoa farmers across the country are intensifying calls for comprehensive reforms in the pricing structure of the cocoa sector, urging authorities to guarantee them at least 70 percent of export earnings from the sale of the commodity.
According to farmer groups and cooperatives, the current pricing regime does not adequately reflect global market realities, leaving producers with shrinking margins despite rising international cocoa prices. They argue that while cocoa remains a major foreign exchange earner for the country, farmers—the backbone of the industry—continue to struggle with low incomes, high production costs, and limited access to inputs.
The farmers insist that securing a guaranteed 70 percent share of export earnings would not only improve livelihoods but also incentivize increased production, curb smuggling, and attract younger generations into cocoa farming. They maintain that a fairer distribution formula is essential to sustaining the sector and ensuring long-term productivity.
Stakeholders have further called for greater transparency in the determination of producer prices, as well as stronger policies to stabilize incomes against global price fluctuations. Some have also urged government and regulatory authorities to review existing frameworks to ensure farmers benefit proportionately from the value chain.
As discussions around agricultural reforms gather momentum, cocoa farmers say meaningful pricing adjustments will be critical to protecting the future of the industry and strengthening the country’s position in the global cocoa market.
