Cocoa farmers across Ghana are signaling renewed optimism for the 2025/26 crop season, anticipating a significant rebound in yields following years of disappointing harvests.
The expectations come on the back of improved pod development and reduced disease impact, although persistent challenges with agricultural inputs and unpredictable weather still threaten full recovery.
Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, has struggled with falling output in recent seasons due to a combination of climate change, cocoa swollen shoot virus disease, and encroaching illegal mining activities that have ravaged farmlands. But some farmers say signs on the ground are finally pointing to a turnaround.
“We are seeing healthier trees, better flowering and pod formation this year,” said Theophilus Tamakloe, Vice President of a national farmers’ association and a grower in Assin North. He projects his personal yield could rise from 230 bags last season to 350 this year, but warned that supply chain gaps in fungicides and other chemicals could undercut that promise.
For many, the optimism is tempered by the realities of inadequate farm inputs. “If the rains are too much and COCOBOD doesn’t supply the right chemicals on time, all this progress could be in vain,” Tamakloe said.
Salomey Saah, a cocoa farmer in the Tano District, is among those taking a more business-focused approach to production. “This year I treated my cocoa farm like a company,” she explained. “I doubled my efforts and now I’m looking at a 100% increase in output — from 1,000 to 2,000 bags.”
Yet, the challenges remain stark. Saah said a pest infestation without timely intervention could wipe out an entire farm in just three days.
Kwame Alex, Ghana’s National Best Cocoa Farmer for 2024, echoed the cautious optimism. With over 2,000 bags harvested last season, he now targets 3,000 bags for 2025/26. “It’s possible if the support is right,” he said.
Despite the upbeat mood among farmers, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has yet to comment on farmer concerns or set an official production target for the new season, expected to commence in August. As of May, internal projections by the regulator indicated a likely shortfall in meeting the 2024/25 target of 650,000 metric tons, with actual output expected around 590,000 tons.
This marks a significant decline from previous years and adds pressure on Ghana and neighbouring Ivory Coast—who jointly produce more than 60% of the world’s cocoa—to stabilize global supply chains strained by poor harvests.
As farmers look to the upcoming season, they are calling for more strategic interventions from COCOBOD, including timely delivery of pesticides and better disease control mechanisms, to avoid repeating past disappointments and to position Ghana’s cocoa industry for a more resilient future.
