FACT-CHECK: Finance Minister’s claim that Ivory Coast’s cocoa price ‘is far lower than that of Ghana’ is False

Claim: Price of cocoa in Ivory Coast is far lower than Ghana’s 

Source: Ato Forson, Finance Minister

Verdict: False

Researched by Nusrat Essah

The Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, claimed in a press briefing on February 12, 2026, that cocoa price in Ivory Coast is far lower than that of Ghana.

Speaking about Ghana’s revised cocoa producer price, Ato Forson compared the two countries’ prices stating:  

“Today, if you go to Abidjan, it is obvious that their price is far lower than that of Ghana, and that is why now we are not even seeing our cocoa going to Abidjan, the farmer has no incentive to smuggle the cocoa to Abidjan. If care is not taken we will see reverse smuggling…” (watch from 20 mins:30secs) 

RelatedNews

Afenyo-Markin’s claim that 2026 mid-year budget had no policy announcement on cocoa sector is false

Captain Smart falsely claims Ato Forson is the first minister to not request extra funds in mid-year budget

Fact-checking Muntaka’s claims on California natural disasters, GDP and global economic status

PROMISE METER: Keeping track of President Mahama’s 2025 SONA promises 

This report seeks to verify whether cocoa producer price in Ivory Coast is indeed far lower than that in Ghana.

Fact-Check

GhanaFact compared the latest official cocoa prices announced by both governments. Ghana’s current cocoa price, as announced by the finance minister, is GH¢ 2,587 per bag and GH¢ 41,392 per metric tonne equivalent to US$ 3,770. 

According to a press statement published by the Ivorian Press Agency (Agence Ivoirienne de Presse, AIP) on February 13, 2026, “price of cocoa set for the main 2025-2026 campaign at 2800 CFA per kilogram (2,800,000 CFA Francs per tonne), throughout the national territory, remains unchanged until March 31, 2026.” This price, 2,800,000 CFA Francs per tonne, is equivalent to US$5,060.

The amount is in line with the season opening price announced by President Alassane Ouattara on October 1, 2025 at 2,800 CFA francs per kilogram and 2,800,000 CFA Francs per metric tonne. 

A comparison of the figures when converted into the same currency shows that the cocoa price per tonne in Ivory Coast (US$ 5,060) is higher than Ghana’s (U.S$ 3,770).

Verdict

Therefore, the claim that the current cocoa price in Ivory Coast is far lower than Ghana’s is False.