Cocoa farmers in Ghana are expecting a bumper harvest in the upcoming 2025/2026 season.

This optimism follows improved flowering and pod development, marking a recovery from the challenges farmers faced last season.

In the previous season, cocoa farmers grappled with significant setbacks, including plant diseases, the impacts of climate change, and the widespread threat of illegal gold mining, which continues to destroy cocoa plantations and reduce yields.

According to a Reuters report, farmers have observed that better weather conditions and a decline in disease prevalence should help boost production this season.

The Vice President of the National Farmers’ Association and a cocoa farmer, Theophilus Tamakloe, said, "Farmers who have dedicated time to their cocoa farms will definitely see a bumper harvest this season. We are witnessing significant improvements compared to last year in terms of flowering, pod development, and leaf health."

He projected that yields this season could rise from 230 bags to 350 bags, adding that this could be achieved with favourable weather conditions and the timely distribution of fungicides by COCOBOD.

Salomey Saah, another cocoa farmer, told Reuters he is also expecting very high yields this season.

"This year, I approached my cocoa farm as a business, and I have seen tremendous improvement. I'm targeting about 2,000 bags, up from the 1,000 bags I harvested in the 2024/2025 season," he said.

SSD/MA

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