COCOBOD Cautions of Moderate Cocoa Output Decline Amid Climate-Driven Disease Surge
Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has warned of a possible moderate decline in cocoa production for the 2024/25 season, attributing the expected drop to increased disease incidence triggered by prolonged rainfall and inadequate sunlight.
The caution follows growing concerns among cocoa farmers, who have called on government to intervene as persistent bad weather threatens yields and incomes. Farmers say the prevailing climatic conditions—characterised by cooler temperatures and excessive rainfall—are fuelling a surge in fungal infections, notably black pod disease.
President of the Cocoa Farmers Association, Nana Oboadie Bonsu, speaking to Reuters, disclosed that recent field visits across 72 cocoa-growing districts revealed widespread signs of fungal infestation. “We witnessed fungi being spotted on the various cocoa trees due to the climate conditions,” he stated, warning of long-term implications on both output and livelihoods if urgent measures are not taken.
Responding to the farmers’ alarm, COCOBOD said it has intensified its mass spraying and disease control programmes to stem the spread of infections. “While it is too early to provide definitive figures for the current season, preliminary assessments suggest that production may see a moderate decline compared to earlier projections,” the regulator said in comments to Reuters.
COCOBOD further noted that it aims to fast-track the distribution of fungicides across all affected regions before the onset of the peak harvest period, in a bid to contain further damage and mitigate yield losses.
Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer after Côte d’Ivoire, has in recent years struggled with a mix of climate-related challenges, plant disease outbreaks, and the destructive impact of illegal gold mining activities on cocoa farms. These factors have collectively depressed production levels and disrupted earnings for thousands of smallholder farmers.
Latest COCOBOD data released in May already suggested that Ghana may miss its revised cocoa output target of 650,000 metric tonnes for the 2024/25 season—down significantly from historical highs.
The looming shortfall threatens to undermine government revenue expectations from cocoa exports and could further strain the country’s balance of payments, especially as cocoa remains one of Ghana’s key foreign exchange earners.
