Cocoa farmers are not happy about the current price of the commodity and have threatened to continue selling their farmlands to illegal miners.
According to the farmers in the Prestea-Huni-Valley Municipality of the Western Region, they have been shortchanged by the government over the years.
The farmers in an interview with Citi News in Damang, revealed that the current cocoa price is a disincentive to farming, adding that the government’s decision to withdraw free cocoa farm inputs has worsened their plight in purchasing adequate inputs for their farms.
They said they now rely on major mining companies like Gold Fields Ghana to support them with free farm inputs.
The farmers in the area have therefore cautioned the government to immediately increase the price of cocoa or they will sell the farms to galamsey operators.
These threats come a week after the Head of Public Affairs at COCOBOD, Stephen Fiifi Boafo, advised the farmers against releasing their farms for galamsey activities saying it threatens their pension benefits.
Being one of the regions witnessing rampant activities of illegal miners, the Western Region is gradually losing its position as a significant cocoa-producing due to the menace.
The region’s new status as a hub for galamsey activities is threatening the growth of the cocoa industry, as many farmers find the cocoa business unattractive due to the low price of cocoa compared to selling their cocoa farms to galamsey operators.
Farmers from the Damang Cocoa District in the galamsey-endemic area of Prestea-Huni-Valley Municipality gathered in Damang to receive free fertilizers and pesticides from the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation.
They disclosed to Citi News that the threat of galamsey to the cocoa sector is as result of the low price of cocoa and the government’s switch from free to subsidized cocoa farm input delivery to farmers.
Robert Siaw, the Sustainability Development Manager of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, said the Foundation’s support for cocoa farm inputs this year alone cost $20,000. He assured the farmers of the Foundation’s continued commitment to supporting the cocoa sector, due to its importance.
Meanwhile, the Head of Public Affairs at COCOBOD, Stephen Fiifi Boafo who was at the event, agreed that galamsey and the low price of cocoa are threats to the industry. He hinted that there may be a change in the cocoa price in October.
