Cocoa farmers threaten to smuggle product if govt fails to increase prices

Cocoa farmers at Gyampokrom in the Sehwi Juaboso District in the Western North Region have threatened to smuggle their cocoa produce to Ivory Coast due to current economic hardship.

The farmers near the border areas say they are ready to take action if government refuses to increase the cocoa production prices for this year.

A bag of cocoa sells at GH¢660.00, however, the farmers have appealed to the government to adjust the price to GH¢1,200.00.

This comes on the back of the current economic situation in the country rendering them unable to cater for the cost of production.

Apart from the cost of farm inputs, cost of labourers and other services have increased, outrageously.

Meanwhile, the president of the Coalition for Cocoa Sector Reforms, Ayisi Kumah Thomas Kwesi, has called on the government to take a critical look at the situation of farmers as they continue to live in extreme poverty.

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