Ghana releases GH¢2.6bn to clear delayed payments to cocoa farmers

Ghana's Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has released an additional GH¢2.6bn ($US equivalent) to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to pay cocoa farmers, as the government moves to clear outstanding arrears owed to producers across the country's cocoa-growing regions.

The latest disbursement includes about GH¢1.4bn earmarked to settle unpaid balances for cocoa that was purchased on credit, following concerns over delays in payments to thousands of farmers during the 2025/26 crop season.

COCOBOD said the funds had been transferred to Licensed Buying Companies, which are responsible for paying farmers, adding that monitoring measures had been put in place to ensure the money reaches those entitled to it.

The board said it had paid more than GH¢34.5bn to Licensed Buying Companies since the start of the current crop season, making this one of the largest financing exercises for cocoa purchases in recent years.

It assured farmers that no producer who sold cocoa through the approved purchasing system would be denied payment.

Farmers who are still awaiting payment have been advised to contact the Licensed Buying Company through which they sold their cocoa while the board works with buyers to settle all outstanding claims.

The payment follows complaints from some cocoa farmers over delays in receiving money for beans already delivered, raising concerns about the financial pressures facing producers ahead of the next production cycle.

COCOBOD thanked farmers for their patience during the delays and said the latest release of funds reflected the government's commitment to protecting farmer incomes and maintaining confidence in Ghana's cocoa marketing system.

Ghana is the world's second-largest cocoa producer after Ivory Coast, and cocoa remains one of the country's most important export commodities, providing a livelihood for hundreds of thousands of farming households and a major source of foreign exchange.