John Dumelo, the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, has urged cocoa farmers not to cut down their cocoa trees despite the recent drop in producer prices.
According to John Dumelo, the government is working stabilise the cocoa sector, urging the cocoa farmers to stand firm.
The Deputy Minister encouraged farmers to remain patient and continue nurturing their cocoa farms while the government address the challenges facing the industry.
John Dumelo, speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of the special launch of the 70th anniversary celebration of Akuafo Hall at the University of Ghana, stated, “When you go to the Ivory Coast, the price is even cheaper than Ghana, so it is not even worth it to smuggle cocoa there.
It is about the world cocoa prices. The cocoa farmers shouldn’t cut down the trees. They should stand firm, the government will pay them,” he said.
Meanwhile, a cocoa farmer at Pankese in the Eastern Region has warned President John Dramani Mahama to restors cocoa price, else all her cries will turn into curses on the government.
According to the irate cocoa farmer, she is a widow, and her late husband and her has been feeding on their cocoa farm.
She declared that cocoa farmers will storm Mahama’s house if he fails to restore the cocoa producer price.
Speaking during a visit by the Minority Caucus to cocoa farmers on March 3, 2026, the Cocoa farmer stated, “I want to thank the MPs who came. I am a widow, and I know God brought you here because of my plight. My late husband and I were cocoa farmers, and that is what has been feeding me,” she said.
“I want to appeal to President Mahama to pay us for the cocoa pods we supplied. If he doesn’t, all my cries will turn into curses on the government. Just like officials want their children to succeed, we also have the same desire. If they don’t heed our cries, we will march to his house to register our protest,” the farmer warned.
Additionally, President John Dramani Mahama has said his government’s decision to reduce the cocoa producer price is difficult but necessary.
Mahama explained that the reduction was aimed at addressing acute liquidity challenges within the cocoa sector.
According to John Mahama, maintaining the previous price would have compelled the government to borrow billions, which he says could have taken the country back into economic difficulties.
Delivering his 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament, President Mahama explained, “Mr Speaker, a nation that does not learn from past mistakes cannot get out of the cycle of problems that impose hardship on its citizens.
We have just begun to emerge from the most devastating economic crisis in our nation’s recent history. This crisis was triggered by general financial indiscipline, huge deficits and massive debt occasioned by persistent unbudgeted expenditure to meet the ends of convenient politicking.
In the last few weeks, we have had to take the painful but necessary decision to revise the producer price of Cocoa to achieve competitive pricing and resolve acute liquidity challenges in the sector. Failure to do so would have meant pumping in billions of borrowed funds”.
He added, “This unplanned expenditure would have taken us right back to the very devastating economic problems we have only recently begun to escape.
So, while fully understanding the concerns and protests of our farmers, I can firmly assure them that the reforms announced by the government will see a total transformation of the sector and guarantee them a fair price that enables them to meet the cost of producing the commodity and make decent margins.
The difference between economic hardships and avoiding the same is the exercise of sound economic judgement, and I am determined to take decisions that ensure our collective wellbeing and avoid suffering for all our citizens.”