The Executive Management and Senior Staff of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) have announced voluntary salary reductions for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season, citing persistent liquidity challenges within the cocoa sector.
In a statement dated Monday, February 16, 2026, the Board disclosed that members of its Executive Management will take a 20 per cent pay cut, while Senior Staff have agreed to a 10 per cent reduction in their salaries.
According to COCOBOD, the decision forms part of a broader strategy to reduce expenditure and align operational costs with current revenue levels.
“The Executive Management and the Senior Staff of COCOBOD have, effective today, Monday, February 16, 2026, reduced their salaries for the remainder of the 2025/26 crop year in recognition of the current liquidity challenges in the cocoa industry,” the statement said.
Management explained that the salary adjustments, together with other cost-control initiatives, are aimed at easing financial pressure on the institution.
“This decision and other cost-cutting measures in procurement and a staff rationalisation exercise are aimed at reducing the overall expenditure of COCOBOD and aligning costs with revenue,” the statement added.
The development comes at a time when the cocoa industry is grappling with rising operational costs, concerns about farmer welfare and increased public scrutiny over producer pricing and the financial state of COCOBOD.
In recent weeks, discussions around cocoa producer prices and the long-term sustainability of cocoa farming have intensified. Analysts have pointed to the significant financial commitments involved in cocoa purchases, administrative overheads and the impact of global price fluctuations on revenue.
COCOBOD’s leadership has presented the salary reductions as a show of shared responsibility at the top, as the institution undertakes broader restructuring measures during the current crop year.
The statement, signed by the Chief Executive, did not specify the extent of the liquidity gap or the expected savings from the pay cuts but confirmed that the reductions will remain in effect until the end of the ongoing crop season.
