The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for allegedly bringing economic hardship to cocoa farmers by drastically reducing cocoa prices, leaving farmers struggling to receive payments.
According to Richard Ahiagbah, National Communications Director of the NPP, Ghana missed an opportunity to boost farmers’ income and rural economies by failing to secure a forward sale contract when cocoa prices rose due to supply constraints.
At a news conference, he stressed that the NDC government’s inaction and negligence led to the missed opportunity, and instead of taking responsibility, they imposed a 28.6% price cut on farmers.
This translates to a loss of approximately 1038 Ghana Cedis per bag of cocoa. He emphasized that most cocoa farmers produce around 10 bags, resulting in a significant loss of income.
Ahiagbah questioned the NDC government’s decision to impose such a burden on farmers, asking if they are considered “easy targets” or “pushovers”.
He emphasized that the government’s failure to manage the cocoa market and strike when prices were favorable has led to the current hardship faced by farmers.
The NPP is calling for accountability and better management of the cocoa sector to protect farmers’ interests.
Report by Bernard K Dadzie Greater Accra Region
