The government has reintroduced the free cocoa fertilizer programme as an additional support to the Ghanaian cocoa farmers, beginning the 2025/2026 crop year.

This was announced by finance minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson in a statement issued on Monday, August 4, 2025.

He stated that beginning this crop season, President John Dramani Mahama’s administration will supply free cocoa fertilizers (both liquid and granular), free insecticides, free spraying machines, free fungicides, and
free flower inducers to farmers.

The minister advised the farmers to apply these inputs solely for the purpose of improving cocoa yield and their income.

Meanwhile, the government has announced an increase in the producer price of cocoa for the 2025/2026 season, raising it from US$3,100 to US$5,040 per tonne, representing a 62.58% increase in dollar terms.

The Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, made this decision ahead of the new cocoa season starting on Thursday, August 7, 2025.

The minister noted that this decision marks a substantial 62.58% increase in the producer price in US dollar terms.

The new price, set at 70% of the gross Free-On-Board (FOB) value of US$7,200 per tonne, aligns with President John Mahama’s promise to pay cocoa farmers 70% of the FOB price.

Finance minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson elaborated on the calculation of the new pricing, citing outstanding contracts for 100,000 tonnes sold at US$2,600 per tonne in the 2023/2024 crop season and forecasts for the upcoming season.

He emphasised that the increase reflects the Government’s commitment to improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers, facilitated by a strong Ghana Cedi and declining inflation.

Additionally, the government has maintained the cedi equivalent of US$3,100 per tonne at GH¢16 to US$1 for several months, amounting to a GH¢1,114 subsidy per bag sold since Q2 2025.

The minister highlighted that this intervention increased the farmer share of the FOB from 63.9% to over 99%.

The PPRC has also approved revised margins and fees for key players in the cocoa value chain, including buyers, haulers, warehouse operators, and quality control units.

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