Over 30,000 members of the Concerned Cocoa Farmers Association have voiced their strong dissatisfaction with the management of the cocoa sector by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to the farmers, the government’s actions have led to the collapse of their businesses, and they are calling for change ahead of the December 7 general elections.
In an interview with the media, Johnson Sieh, the coordinator of the group, expressed the farmers’ frustration.
“The government was supposed to increase the cocoa price for the 2024/2025 season by more than 70 percent, in line with the current world market price,” Sieh stated.
“However, the government has refused to act, and we feel they are taking us for granted.”
Sieh further emphasized that the government has caused a loss of 13.62 cedis, money that was meant to improve the welfare of cocoa farmers, yet the farmers continue to suffer.
The group accuses the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) of undercutting the cocoa farmers and failing to protect their interests.
“Cocobod is cheating the cocoa farmers, and this is driving up the smuggling of cocoa beans to neighboring countries where the prices are higher,” Sieh added.
The farmers also believe that the government is indirectly encouraging illegal mining activities, which they argue threatens the sustainability of the cocoa industry in the country.
“They are undermining the cocoa industry and pushing farmers towards illegal mining, which will ultimately collapse our business,” said Sieh.
