Published: August 6, 2025
MONROVIA — In a historic move to reform Liberia’s agriculture sector, the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority has, for the first time, proposed official farmgate prices for cocoa and coffee.
The announcement was made during a national stakeholder forum held on Tuesday in Monrovia. “This is a defining moment in our country’s agricultural journey,” said Dan Saryee, acting director general of LACRA. “For the first time, Liberia is setting a framework to guide cocoa and coffee prices so that both farmers and buyers benefit fairly.”
The one-day event brought together farmers, cooperatives, exporters, regulatory agencies, and journalists to validate a pricing framework and discuss broader reforms for the country’s two main cash crops. Organizers called the occasion historic, saying it opens the door to a more transparent, structured, and fair value chain. LACRA’s proposed pricing structure is based on international benchmarks from the International Cocoa Organization and the London International Coffee Exchange.
The rates are adjusted to reflect local market conditions, subtracting exporter expenses and applying a standardized 15 percent profit margin and a 10 percent buying commission. According to the proposal, a kilogram of Grade 1 conventional cocoa would sell for $4.73, while Grade 2 is set at $3.54 and sub-grade at $2.36. Organic cocoa would fetch $6.10 for Grade 1, $4.58 for Grade 2, and $3.05 for sub-grade. For coffee, prices are set at $5.90 for Grade 1, $4.00 for Grade 2, and $2.30 for sub-grade.
Alpha Gongolee, LACRA’s deputy director of operations, said the pricing formula was developed after consultations with the Ministries of Commerce and Agriculture, the Liberia Revenue Authority, the Trucker Union, and major shipping lines. He mentioned that total exporter costs per metric ton were calculated at $515.74—a figure used as the basis for the per-kilogram pricing model. Farmers attending the workshop raised concerns about rising input costs, including labor, fertilizer, road access, and basic farm tools.
They argued that the proposed prices did not fully account for the economic pressures they face. During discussions, farmer groups advocated for $6.00 per kilogram for Grade 1 cocoa, while exporters pushed for $4.03. The final figure of $4.73 was presented by LACRA as a technical compromise that balanced both sides. “This wasn’t just a numbers exercise. It was about balancing profitability for exporters with survival for smallholder farmers,” Gongolee said.
The forum also marked the official rollout of national grading standards to guide cocoa and coffee sales at the farmgate. For cocoa, Grade 1 permits up to 7.5 percent moisture and a five percent defect rate with a 100-bean count. Grade 2 allows up to eight percent defects and a 110-bean count, while sub-grade permits up to 18 percent defects and a 120-bean count. Coffee grading also emphasizes moisture content and defect thresholds, with Grade 1 requiring less than 0.5 percent moisture and no more than four percent defects.
“These standards will now be used to settle grading disputes and ensure fairness in pricing,” Gongolee explained. LACRA also proposed a series of new regulatory measures aimed at cleaning up the marketing chain. Under the plan, only licensed produce buying agents, certified cooperatives, and registered farmer associations would be authorized to purchase cocoa and coffee at the farm level. Exporters would be required to source exclusively through these approved channels.
Disputes over grading or pricing must be reported to LACRA for resolution. The authority announced plans to review farmgate prices seasonally through a Standing Pricing Committee, avoiding the need for full-scale annual forums. To keep farmers informed, Victor Kesselly of the Liberia Broadcasting System proposed a 30-minute radio program to air twice a month. The program would provide market updates, pricing information, and educational content for farmers. It will be produced in partnership with the Liberia Agriculture and Environmental Journalists Network.
“This information must reach the people who need it most—the farmers,” Kesselly said. “Radio is still our most powerful tool for national awareness.” Saryee closed the forum by reaffirming LACRA’s commitment to broader sector reforms, including the introduction of traceability mechanisms, anti-smuggling measures, and a national farmer database capturing GPS coordinates, production data, and cooperative affiliations.
“We are laying a foundation,” he said. “Liberia’s agriculture sector must be accountable, competitive, and rewarding for the people who feed this country.” While the proposed prices are subject to further review, participants praised the forum as a key step toward modernizing the cocoa and coffee industries. “This is just the beginning,” Saryee added. “We are building a system that future generations can improve upon, not reinvent.”
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