The Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Association of Ghana says it’s content with the current cocoa price set by government.

According to the association, it’s happy that the government did not reduce the price but rather maintained it at a time the world commodity price has fallen.

The Minority in Parliament has said the failure of government to increase cocoa price is unfair and amounts to stealing from the farmers.

At a press conference Monday, the Minority argued the foundation laid by the former National Democratic Congress (NDC) government was good enough for an increase from the ¢475 per bag to be expected.

They rejected the government’s view that a drop in commodity price on the world market affected government’s ability to increase the price to farmers.

“The price of cocoa on the international market has witnessed a dramatic decline to a ten year low from more than $3000 per tonne only 10 months ago to as low as $1900 in recent months. The situation has compelled other countries to reduce drastically their producer prices of cocoa,” the Agriculture minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said.

But the Minority insists the ¢475 per bag pegged in October 2016, is simply “not enough” for the 2017 farming season and that government should increase the price to GHC 600.

However, President of the Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Association of Ghana, Alhaji Alhassan Bukari speaking to Akwasi Nsiah on Si Mi So on Kasapa FM said cocoa farmers are hopeful that the government will increase the price when the world market price increases.

“We are not politicians but we disagree with the Minority’s call for an increase in cocoa price now judging by the situation on the world market.

We don’t have to put pressure on government, we know government will do the right thing when things get better. At the price review session government explained issues to us and we accept the explanation.