Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has announced the reintroduction of the free cocoa fertiliser programme under the administration of President John Dramani Mahama.
The renewed initiative, effective from the 2025/2026 crop season, will see the government distribute a comprehensive package of agricultural inputs at no cost to cocoa farmers across the country.
In a post made on Monday, August 4, 2025, Dr. Ato Forson detailed the items to be distributed under the scheme: Free cocoa fertilisers (both liquid and granular), insecticides, spraying machines, fungicides and flower inducers.
“Government strongly advises cocoa farmers to apply these inputs solely for the purpose of improving cocoa yield and their income,” the Finance Minister stated.
The move is part of broader efforts by the Mahama administration to boost cocoa productivity and improve farmer welfare; coming just days before the new cocoa season opens on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
The reintroduction of free inputs follows another major intervention in the cocoa sector: an increase in the producer price of cocoa from US$3,100 to US$5,040 per tonne, representing a 62.58% jump in dollar terms.
READ: Government increases cocoa producer price to $5,040 per tonne for 2025/2026 season
According to Dr. Forson, the new price represents 70% of the gross Free-On-Board (FOB) value of US$7,200 per tonne; fulfilling President Mahama’s promise to pay farmers 70% of the world market price.
This is a significant improvement over the 2024/2025 cocoa season, during which the previous administration paid farmers only 63.9% of the FOB value.
At an average exchange rate of GHS10.25 to the dollar for the new season, the price increase translates to GHS51,660 per tonne, or GHS3,228.75 per 64kg bag; up from GHS49,600 per tonne last season.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
