Ghana’s cocoa sector recorded 3.4% growth in the first quarter of 2025, marking its first expansion since Q2 2023, according to data from the Ghana Statistical Service.
This recovery ends a six-quarter contraction that had raised major concerns across the country’s agricultural and export value chains.
The turnaround forms part of a broader rebound in the agriculture sector, which grew by 6.6% in Q1 2025, up from 2.4% during the same period in 2024.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s overall GDP growth hit 5.3%, fueled by strong performances in:
- Fishing: +16.4%
- ICT: +13.1%
- Manufacturing: +6.6%
Though the cocoa sector’s 3.4% growth appears modest, industry analysts view it as a critical sign of recovery, particularly as global demand stabilizes.
Previous Decline
In 2023, cocoa recorded weak quarterly figures:
- Q1: -0.1%
- Q2: +1.2%
- Q3: -0.4%
- Q4: -1.1%
The situation worsened in 2024, with severe quarterly contractions:
- Q1: -20.2%
- Q2 & Q3: -26.0%
- Q4: -21.4%
These figures reflect one of the most prolonged downturns in the sector’s recent history.
Outlook
Experts say sustaining this recovery will require focused investment in:
- Input distribution
- Disease control
- Fair pricing policies
They caution that without deliberate intervention, the sector could fall back into instability, especially under volatile global market conditions.
