Cocoa Farmers Urged Not To Cut Down Cocoa Trees Over Producer Price Reduction.

The former Dormaa East District Chief Executive, Hon. Emmanuel Kofi Agyemang, has urged cocoa farmers to desist from cutting down their cocoa trees to protest the reduction in the cocoa producer price from GH¢3,100 to GH¢2,500.

He acknowledged the frustration among farmers, particularly over payment challenges, but said destroying cocoa farms is not the solution.

He urged farmers to remain hopeful while calling on the government to take urgent steps to improve their welfare, given their significant contribution to Ghana’s economy.

Hon. Kofi Agyemang called on government to review the current cocoa producer price and increase the 71.18 percent of the FOB price allocated to farmers.

He said the price should at least be restored to GH¢3,100, the level left by the Akufo-Addo administration.

According to him, a better producer price would motivate farmers to maintain their farms rather than cut down their cocoa trees.

He therefore appealed to government to reconsider the current pricing arrangement and provide better incentives for cocoa farmers.

The former DCE further argued that the factors behind the current reduction in cocoa prices were similar to those experienced in 2017, when the Akufo-Addo administration took office.

He noted that despite a decline in the world market price at the time, the Akufo-Addo government maintained the producer price it inherited from the Mahama administration instead of reducing it.

Hon. Kofi Agyemang said the current reduction could therefore have been avoided, stressing that government must prioritise the welfare of cocoa farmers and shield them from excessive impact of fluctuations in the international cocoa market.

Story By: Kwaku Mensah Abrampa (GIFTs FM -Dormaa Ahenkro.