Ghana is projecting a 16% decrease in cocoa production for the upcoming season. The country's cocoa regulator attributes this decline to a combination of erratic weather patterns, crop diseases, and the natural low-yield cycle of cocoa trees. Heavy rains, the looming threat of El Niño, and swollen shoot disease have particularly impacted farms in the Western and Western North regions, which account for over half of Ghana's cocoa output.
Additionally, illegal gold mining activities are exacerbating the situation by encroaching on cocoa farms. In response, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) is intensifying efforts to control disease, rehabilitate infected farms, and reintroduce free fertilizer to support farmers' recovery.
This forecast aligns with similar warnings from neighboring Ivory Coast, the world's largest cocoa producer, which is also expecting a notable decline in cocoa yields. These developments have raised concerns about the stability of global cocoa supplies.
A purchasing clerk was seen weighing a bag of cocoa in Kona, Ghana, on Friday, March 6, 2026 (AP Photo/Tsraha Yaw).
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