In Ghana, cocoa farmers say delayed payments are choking harvests, even as rain-fed mid-crop yields promise a rare seasonal boost.
Farmers report waiting up to six months for payment, leaving them without funds to hire labour or transport beans.
The cocoa sector supports roughly 800,000 families nationwide, making the delays a widespread threat to rural livelihoods and local economies.
Ghana Cocoa Cooperatives Association Vice President Theophilus Tamakloe said many farmers now watch ripe pods sit unharvested on trees.
He added that members are withholding beans, refusing to sell to buyers unless payments are made instantly.
Tamakloe himself has stored nearly a metric ton of cocoa, declining to release it on credit to Licensed Buying Companies.
Another farmer, Abdulai Adoswin, reported higher output this season but warned future gains depend on prompt payments before harvests end in late summer.
The regulator, COCOBOD, says it is disbursing funds to clear arrears dating back months.
However, buying companies say they are still waiting to be paid for beans already delivered and sold onward.
One industry source suggested the regulator may have already sold much of the season’s cocoa, deepening uncertainty across the supply chain.
Officials have yet to clarify the status of funds, promising only to review the situation amid mounting concern.
The crisis unfolds against falling output linked to disease, ageing trees, illegal mining and erratic weather patterns.
Central bank data shows cocoa export revenues dropped sharply year on year, underscoring the sector’s fragile condition.
Global cocoa prices have also plunged from record highs, adding pressure as farmers struggle to turn strong yields into income.
