Price of cocoa to the producer selected at 10 560 Ghc per tonne

The government has kept the price it pays cocoa farmers at GH ¢ 10,560 per tonne despite a collapse in the terminal cocoa market due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The price, which takes effect from Friday 8 October, represents 87.15% of the free on board value and translates to GH ¢ 660 per 64 kilogram bag.

Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, who announced the price after a meeting of the Producer Price Review Committee, said keeping the farm gate price at the same level as the he last year showed the government’s commitment to supporting the interests of cocoa farmers. and improve their well-being.

“The producer price of cocoa has been maintained while all cocoa producing countries are considering a reduction in their farm gate prices following a collapse of the terminal cocoa market due to the Covid-19 pandemic”, he said. -he declares.

The minister said that through the Ghana-Côte d’Ivoire Initiative, the two countries have implemented the living income differential, which helps improve the well-being of cocoa farmers.

He said the government will implement the cocoa farmers pension scheme during the 2021/22 season to ensure sustainable livelihoods for farmers after they retire from active cocoa farming.

The minister said that to allow farmers to fully benefit from their investments, the government has introduced a uniform, non-adjustable electronic scale for cocoa purchases as of October 8, 2021.

“The scale has been certified by the Ghana Standard Authority and found to comply with the mandatory requirements.

Cocoa buyers cannot adjust the scale once it has been calibrated and sealed by the Ghana Standards Authority, ”he said.

Dr Afriyie Akoto urged authorized purchasing companies to cooperate with the Ghana Standards Authority to install the scales and use them to weigh farmers’ cocoa.

The committee also approved rates and charges for all other stakeholders in the supply chain, including buyer’s margin, carrier rate, warehousing and internal marketing charges, and charges. disinfestation, classification and sealing and inspection of the scale.

Dr Afriyie Akoto pledged the government’s continued support to cocoa farmers through the pest and disease control and disease control program, high technology, pruning, hand pollination and cocoa rehabilitation.

The government will also continue to provide farmers with certified drought-resistant, early-producing, high-yielding planting material.

GNA