The Ivorian-Ghanaian Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI) praised, on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, the Ghanaian government’s initiative to increase cocoa producers’ incomes. In an official statement, the organization expressed its support for the decision to raise the guaranteed price to production to $5,040 per ton for the 2025/2026 campaign, compared to $3,100 the previous season. A historic increase of over 60%, which puts Ghana at the forefront of countries that pay their cocoa farmers the best.
CIGCI sees this decision as a strategic turning point for the sustainability of the sector. “A fair price for producers is the first step towards a sustainable cocoa sector,” said Alex Assanvo, Executive Secretary of the organization. It particularly applauds the leading role of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), whose efforts reinforce a regional dynamic of cocoa market reform, jointly initiated with Côte d’Ivoire in 2019.
The two West African giants, which represent over 60% of global bean production, have taken multiple initiatives to break away from the logic of underpayment and dependence on global price fluctuations. These measures include the establishment of a Decent Income Differential (DRD) and the coordination of pricing policies. By adopting a price equivalent to nearly 70% of the FOB price, Ghana sends a strong signal to the industry and invites other producing countries to join in a logic of revaluing farmers’ incomes.
CIGCI emphasizes that this advancement comes at a time when market volatility, sustainability requirements, and challenges related to child labor make a profound overhaul of the cocoa economic model essential. It calls for strengthening transparency in the value chain, better distribution of added value, and promoting the resilience of family farms in the face of climate and economic shocks.
The Initiative thus reaffirms its ambition to transform cocoa into a sustainable raw material, economically viable for producers, socially just, and environmentally respectful. To achieve this, it advocates for greater accountability of industrial actors, enhanced cooperation between producing states, and better regulation of the international market.
In this fight, Ghana’s announcement appears as a crucial milestone and an example to follow in building a more equitable future for the millions of families living off cocoa in West Africa.
