The Western North Regional Communications Directorate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has rejected the newly passed Automatic Price Adjustment Scheme under the 2026 COCOBOD Bill, describing the policy as a “killer scheme” that could threaten the economic security of cocoa farmers.
The party argues that the new arrangement, introduced under the NDC-led government, will replace Ghana’s long-standing Guaranteed Minimum Price System, which it says has provided cocoa farmers with stability and protection against fluctuations in international cocoa prices.
Parliament on Thursday, July 30, 2026, passed the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, which guarantees that cocoa farmers will receive not less than 70 per cent of the Free on Board (FOB) export price determined by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
In a statement issued on Sunday, August 2, 2026, and signed by the Regional Communications Officer, Addo Yaw Harry (Ogyaba), the NPP called on cocoa farmers, traditional authorities, and other stakeholders to reject the implementation of the policy.
According to the party, the Guaranteed Minimum Price System has served as a safety net for cocoa farmers by ensuring predictable incomes, even during periods of decline in global cocoa prices.
The NPP explained that under the previous system, the state and COCOBOD absorbed international market risks, allowing farmers to receive a guaranteed farmgate price regardless of fluctuations in global market prices.
However, the party expressed concern that the newly passed Automatic Price Adjustment Scheme could shift the impact of global market uncertainties directly onto cocoa farmers, resulting in unstable incomes.
The Western North NPP Communications Directorate warned that the policy could make it difficult for farmers to plan their household expenses, maintain their farms, and purchase essential agricultural inputs.
The party further cautioned that cocoa-growing communities could face economic hardship during periods of declining international cocoa prices if government protection is reduced.
“The policy is nothing short of a killer scheme designed to shift state responsibilities onto the backs of our cocoa farmers,” the statement said.
The NPP has therefore called for a review of the new law and urged the government to maintain a strong state-backed cocoa pricing system that prioritises the welfare and livelihoods of Ghana’s cocoa farmers.
Below is the full statement:
NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY (NPP)
WESTERN NORTH REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTORATE
For Immediate Release
2nd August, 2026
REJECT THE NDC’S “KILLER SCHEME”: SAY NO TO THE DANGEROUS AUTOMATIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT IN THE 2026 COCOBOD BILL
The Western North Regional Communications Directorate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) issues this urgent public notice to all cocoa farmers, traditional leaders, and stakeholders across the region and nation.
The NDC-led government has introduced the Automatic Price Adjustment Scheme within their 2026 COCOBOD Bill, completely scrapping Ghana’s long-tested, time-honoured Guaranteed Minimum Price System.
WHY THE AUTOMATIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT IS A KILLER SCHEME FOR FARMERS
For decades, the Price Guarantee System protected our hardworking cocoa farmers. Under the Guaranteed Minimum Price, the state and COCOBOD absorbed global market shocks. When world cocoa prices crashed, your farmgate price remained locked, predictable, and secured for the entire crop season, guaranteeing that your family and farm budgets were safe from market crashes.
Under the NDC’s proposed Automatic Price Adjustment Scheme:
- Farmers carry all the risk: International price dips will pass directly to the farmgate, instantly slashing your earnings whenever global market prices fall.
- Total income instability: Your income will fluctuate wildly based on volatile global stock markets and exchange rate swings, leaving you unable to plan for your household or farm inputs.
- Destruction of farmer livelihoods: This scheme effectively strips away the state cushion, exposing vulnerable farming communities to economic ruin during global slumps.
OUR POSITION
This policy is nothing short of a killer scheme designed to shift state responsibilities onto the backs of our cocoa farmers.
The NPP Western North Regional Communications Directorate unequivocally condemns the Automatic Price Adjustment proposal in the 2026 COCOBOD Bill. We demand an immediate halt to this dangerous experiment and call for the full preservation of a robust, state-backed Guaranteed Minimum Price System that puts the security and welfare of Ghanaian cocoa farmers first.
Signed:
Addo Yaw Harry (Ogyaba)
Regional Communications Officer
