The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has announced an improvement in cocoa yields, attributing the success to the rehabilitation of 74,813 farms, covering 67,385 hectares.
This initiative has led to an increase in cocoa productivity from 450 kg per hectare in 2016 to 1,408 kg per hectare in 2024. Speaking at a press briefing to highlight the achievements of the cocoa sector since 2017, Mr. Aidoo outlined the extensive measures implemented to boost yields and support farmers.
He noted that COCOBOD had registered 792,954 cocoa farmers, alongside mapping 1.24 million hectares of cocoa farms. This effort has allowed for better resource allocation and streamlined payment processes, ensuring that farmers receive timely and transparent payments for their produce.
To address ongoing challenges in cocoa production, COCOBOD has intensified the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, which involves replanting diseased and unproductive farms. So far, 44,480 farms covering 40,150.40 hectares have been successfully rehabilitated and are ready to be handed over to their owners. These rehabilitated farms are expected to significantly contribute to the revival of Ghana’s cocoa sector in the coming years.
In addition to rehabilitation efforts, COCOBOD has distributed millions of cocoa seedlings and introduced mechanization initiatives such as motorized pruners, which have helped to enhance farm efficiency and improve tree health.
In August this year, Mr. Aidoo acknowledged that COCOBOD had to revise its cocoa production forecast for the 2023/2024 season, reducing it from 810,000 metric tonnes to 650,000 metric tonnes. He attributed this shortfall to unfavourable weather conditions in the southwestern part of the country, which impacted production negatively.
Meanwhile, the COCOBOD has highlighted the introduction of the Living Income Differential (LID) in 2019, a government initiative aimed at improving the earnings of cocoa farmers. The LID requires buyers to pay an additional US$400 per ton of cocoa on top of the floor price.
This measure has generated over USD 1.2 billion in additional income for farmers, significantly enhancing their financial stability.
