Ghana National Association of Cocoa Farmers President weeps on radio over collapse of cocoa industry

President of the Ghana National Association of Cocoa Farmers (GNACOF), Nana Yaa Asantewaa on Monday June 19, 2023 cried during a live radio interview over poor prices of cocoa beans in Ghana.

Nana Yaa Asantewaa who was speaking on the price of a bag of cocoa on the Kumasi based OTEC 102.9 FM’s morning show Nyansapo on Monday could not hold her tears after the host, Captain Koda, asked her about problems facing cocoa farmers.

According to her, the cocoa industry which used to be one of the most lucrative ventures in farming in Ghana has been reduced to a mere hand to mouth venture making it difficult for farmers to make ends meet.

Speaking challenges in the cocoa industry, Nana Yaa Asantewaa said the farmers who are doing the work have been impoverished over the years

She noted that, proceeds from the beans on international market is good enough to help the farmers to earn a good living, but government have rather opted to sit on the money and release a minute part to the them.

The situation according to her have make it difficult for farmers to get the finance needed to cultivate the lands, forcing many to sell their farms to illegal miners

They said they are now reliant on major mining companies like Gold Fields Ghana to provide them with free farm inputs.

Meanwhile, some cocoa farmers in the Western Region, the leading cocoa growing region in the country have threatened to sell off their farms to galamseyers over low prices of the commodity.

According to the farmers, a bag of cocoa which is currently sold at Ghc800 was very low that, they find it difficult to recover monies invested in their farms at the end of every cocoa season.

Reacting to the development, Nana Yaa Asantewaa said it was no new to her as the farmers have been left to their fate without any pragmatic support from the government.

“Many farmers find the cocoa business unattractive due to the low price of cocoa compared to selling their cocoa farms to galamsey operators”.

“We have tried everything we can to meet top government officials for round table discussions on how the solve this problem but nothing good has come out of it as nobody seems to be interested in our welfare “. She noted

Nana Yaa Asantewaa however called on the government to act fast and stop the farmers from selling their lands to galamseyers by increasing the price of a bag of cocoa before it is too late.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boateng