Parliament has passed the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, paving the way for significant reforms in Ghana’s cocoa sector and offering new guarantees for cocoa farmers.
The landmark legislation, approved on Thursday, July 30, ensures that cocoa farmers will receive not less than 70 percent of the Free on Board (FOB) export price set by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem, presenting the objectives of the Bill, explained that the new law establishes COCOBOD as the statutory body responsible for regulating, overseeing, and monitoring activities across the entire cocoa value chain. The legislation mandates COCOBOD to support cocoa cultivation, manage the buying, selling, and export of cocoa, and promote value addition within the sector.
Ampem noted that the Bill provides a clear legal framework for the Producer Price Review Committee and associated technical structures, strengthening the process for determining producer prices. It also addresses longstanding compliance and enforcement challenges by granting statutory backing to regulatory functions that were previously guided by administrative directives. These include disinfestation procedures, quality inspections, service charges, cocoa take-over processes, and certification requirements, all of which will now have stronger legal enforceability.
The legislation seeks to resolve governance and oversight inconsistencies that have seen COCOBOD shift between different supervising ministries over the years. The Bill formally places COCOBOD under the Ministry of Finance, giving legal effect to a 2025 government policy directive transferring oversight from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Additionally, the Bill aims to create an enabling environment for public-private partnerships and increased local value addition. It encourages collaboration with domestic and international partners, such as the European Union, the World Cocoa Foundation, and the Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative. Regulatory flexibility is also introduced to support small-scale chocolatiers and cocoa by-product manufacturers, addressing barriers that have previously constrained domestic processing and innovation.
The Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, is expected to strengthen the sector’s legal framework, ensure better returns for farmers, and drive innovation and growth in the cocoa industry.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com