cocoa farmers

SONA 2024: Good News For Cocoa Farmers
27 Feb

SONA 2024: Good News For Cocoa Farmers

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President Akufo-Addo has reaffirmed his commitment to supporting cocoa farmers in the upcoming season. During his State of the Nation address on Tuesday, February 27, he said his government increase the cocoa price per bag from GH¢800 to GH¢1,300 because it has the welfare of cocoa farmers at heart. “Mr Speaker, we all witnessed the spectacular increment of the cocoa price from eight hundred cedis per bag (GH¢800) to one thousand, three hundred cedis (GH¢1,300) per bag in the current cocoa season, the highest increase in fifty (50) years. “With the current trend of the world cocoa price, cocoa farmers…
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Cocoa Farmers Lament Collapse Of Industry, Call For Intervention
09 Feb

Cocoa Farmers Lament Collapse Of Industry, Call For Intervention

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Cocoa farmers across various regions have voiced deep concerns regarding the gradual collapse of the cocoa industry. The farmers attributed the decline to a myriad of challenges including illegal mining, shortage of agro-chemicals such as fertilizer, and dwindling farm-gate prices. They expressed their grievances during a meeting with the NDC’s Building Ghana tour team, where they accused the Akufo-Addo government for collapsing certain unions, thereby limiting their ability to advocate for their needs effectively. In particular, members of the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU) highlighted the politicization of the cocoa industry as a significant factor causing the industry’s decline. They…
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Collapse Cocobod; Allow Farmers To Sell Directly To Buyers – President Of Cocoa Farmers Assoc.
24 Oct

Collapse Cocobod; Allow Farmers To Sell Directly To Buyers – President Of Cocoa Farmers Assoc.

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The President of the Concerned Cocoa Farmers Association, Nana Boateng Bonsu, has called for the dissolution of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). According to him, the time is ripe for cocoa farmers to sell their produce directly to buyers since Cocobod has failed in its duties in the interest of Ghanaian cocoa farmers. Mr Bonsu in an interview on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday indicated that the government-controlled institution that fixes the buying price for cocoa in the country is inefficient, thus, farmers should be set free. “If they know Cocobod has collapsed, we should know so that cocoa farmers can sell…
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We Expected GH¢3,000 Instead Of GH¢1,380 – Cocoa Farmers Lament New Price By Government
11 Sep

We Expected GH¢3,000 Instead Of GH¢1,380 – Cocoa Farmers Lament New Price By Government

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Whereas President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s announcement of a new producer price for a bag of cocoa was met with wild jubilations at an event in Tepa on Saturday, some group of farmers have expressed worry over the government’s decision to peg the new price at GH¢1,308. Secretary of the National Cocoa Farmers Association, Johnson Asante in an interview with Oyerepa FM said farmers expected to be given at least GH¢3,000 as the new price. “We have heard about it but we don’t want to believe in rumours that the cocoa price has been increased to GH¢1,308. "For myself and my…
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Cocoa Farmers Demand Increase In Farm-Gate Prices To GH¢1,380
07 Sep

Cocoa Farmers Demand Increase In Farm-Gate Prices To GH¢1,380

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Cocoa farmers are demanding a farm-gate price of GH¢1,380 for a 62.5kg bag of cocoa beans, a 72.5 percent increase over the current price of GH¢800. As COCOBOD gets ready to announce new prices for the upcoming 2023/2024 cocoa season in the coming days, a group known as the Ghana Civil Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP) at a press conference in Accra argued that the 72.5 increase will help stop the problem of cocoa smuggling along the country’s western and eastern borders, and cushion farmers against rising cost of living and inflation. “We realised that just as the international cocoa market…
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Big, Unprecedented News Coming For Cocoa Farmers – Agric Minister
11 Jul

Big, Unprecedented News Coming For Cocoa Farmers – Agric Minister

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The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, has stated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will in the coming days announce some measures in favour of cocoa farmers. According to the Minister, even though he does not want to jump the gun and disclose details before the President, he is optimistic that the announcement is one that will discourage farmers from trading their Cocoa farms for illegal mining. “I don’t want to take the wind out of the president’s sail. There’s a big announcement coming for Cocoa farmers in this country. It is unprecedented. There’s going to be…
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21 Apr

Cocoa Farmers Embrace Pensions Scheme

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The registration and enrolment of cocoa farmers onto the Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme have begun in earnest in the Western Region with many farmers rushing to be registered. COCOBOD, the agency for buying the cocoa pod, is enjoined by Section 26 of the COCOBOD law, 1984, PNDC law 81 to establish a contributory insurance scheme within the framework of the Social Security Scheme to enable Cocoa farmers to enjoy well-deserved Pension after retirement. The Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme is akin to a tier 3 pension as has been established in the country. Under the scheme, cocoa farmers who are registered,…
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Cocoa Farmers To Enjoy Tremendous Pension Opportunities – COCOBOD
15 Apr

Cocoa Farmers To Enjoy Tremendous Pension Opportunities – COCOBOD

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Cocoa farmers at Anomawobidi and Wassa Manso in the Mpohor and Ahanta West Districts of the Western region, have welcomed a pension scheme project being piloted by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). Launched at New Edubiase in the Ashanti Region in August 2021, the scheme when operational, would target about 800,000 registered cocoa farmers benefitting from a retirement plan to promote their lives. A separate engagement was held between the farmers and Mr Fiifi Boafo, the Head of Public Affairs, COCOBOD, at Anomawobidi and Wassa Manso, to discuss the modalities, processes of registration, and benefits for farmers under the Cocoa…
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Government Rolls Out Pension Scheme For Cocoa Farmers
27 Mar

Government Rolls Out Pension Scheme For Cocoa Farmers

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Government, through Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has rolled out the Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme (CFPS) to ensure a decent pension for cocoa farmers, improve their welfare, and also make farming attractive to the youth. This comes after the Cocoa Management Systems (CMS) recorded some momentous strides after piloting the scheme for three weeks in August 2021 in New Edubiase and some other districts in the Ashanti Region. Just as government and private sector workers contribute during their working life, it has become necessary for farmers to also contribute in order to enjoy a comfortable retirement. Addressing the media at an…
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Cocoa Farmers Demand Further Increase In Price
09 Nov

Cocoa Farmers Demand Further Increase In Price

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Cocoa farmers in the Berekum West District of the Bono Region are demanding government action as a matter of urgency to further review the cocoa prices for the 2022/2023 season. According to them, the recent upward adjustment is woefully inadequate and fails to take into account the high cost of living in the country. In October, the government increased the farmgate price of cocoa beans by 21 percent, from GH¢660 to GH¢800 a bag. That works out to GHS12,800 per tonne for the main crop season- 2022-2023, which began on October 7. But the cocoa farmers are dissatisfied with the…
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