The government has announced an increase in cocoa producer price by more than 8 per cent for the next crop season.
This means a 64-kilo bag would now be sold at GH¢515, while a tone would go for GH¢8,249.
The Minister of State in-charge of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Nura Jara disclosed this at the World International Cocoa Day celebration in Sunyani on Tuesday.
But Member of Parliament for Kintampo North and farmer has described the the increment insignificant, since the current increment would not have any positive impact in the life of cocoa farmers.
Speaking to Rite FM on Wednesday morning, Hon. Ato Bonde said after three years without increment, the government has added 40 cedis only to the price.
“Farmers were expecting a hug increment since it has been long time without increment, we thought a bag could be increase to 800 cedis, this is total cheat,” he lamented.
He extended his argument that in 2016, the “Ghc475 can buy 30 gallons of petrol for spraying their cocoa farms, but the Ghc515 increment can only buy 19 gallons of petrol which shows clearly the NPP government has cheated cocoa farmers.”
In April this year, COCOBOD maintained the producer price of cocoa despite suggestions by the IMF to review it downwards.
The IMF wanted COCOBOD to review the producer price of cocoa downwards to reflect changes in international cocoa prices.
Before the commencement of a cocoa season, mostly in October every year, COCOBOD normally announces a farmgate price – the producer price, that it will pay to farmers for their beans in the crop season.
That price was last increased by 11.76 per cent in October 2016 to cover the 2016/2017 season. Since then, it has remained unchanged at GH¢7,600 per tonne, translating into GH¢475 per bag of 64 kilogrammes (kg) gross weight.
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