The Presidential candidate of the Movement for Change, Alan Kyerematen has pledged a new beginning for cocoa farmers, especially in the Ahafo Region, where communities rely heavily on cocoa farming. Speaking to local chiefs and communities on his Caravan Campaign Tour, Mr. Kyerematen criticized the current and previous administrations, accusing both the NPP and NDC of exploiting cocoa farmers by cheating them out of their rightful income.
He committed to ending the long-standing cocoa syndicated loan scheme, which borrows in dollars to pay farmers in cedis, a system he argued has hurt farmers through currency depreciation. “This system forces the government to borrow around $2 billion yearly under the pretense of supporting cocoa farmers but pays them in cedis, which devalues over time, leaving farmers shortchanged,” he stated.
With global cocoa prices at a record $7,960 per ton, Alan Kyerematen criticized the government for not passing these earnings on to farmers, promising his administration would prioritize value addition in cocoa exports.
He vowed that under his Great Transformational Plan, at least 70% of Ghana’s cocoa will be processed locally, converting raw cocoa into finished goods like chocolate to maximize revenue, urging Ghana to leverage its status as the world’s second-largest cocoa producer. He also highlighted the importance of affordable pollination services, noting that high pollination costs limit yields for many farmers.
“Our cocoa farmers deserve access to free pollination services to boost their yield. Under my leadership, pollination will be free, allowing farmers to cultivate and harvest more efficiently,” he promised
Alan Kyerematen also announced plans to involve the private sector more deeply in cocoa, including listing COCOBOD on the Ghana Stock Exchange and offering farmers a share option in the cocoa market.
He called for unity in support of his vision, asserting that his policies would finally honor the hard work of cocoa farmers. He expressed confidence that Ghana’s economy, and the livelihoods of cocoa farmers, would see unprecedented improvement under his administration.
