Cocoa Farmers In Sefwi Threaten Demonstration

Over 200, 000 cocoa farmers in the Western Region are being mobilized to demonstrate against government policies which they say were collapsing the cocoa sector.

A group calling itself Forum for Accountability and Development of Sefwi, made up of mainly educated children of cocoa farmers, is spearheading the protest march.

Members are particularly angry at government's failure to pay what they described as fair prices and bonuses to local farmers.

The group is unhappy the Ghana Cocoa Board to set a production target of 830,000- tons for this year when the country had achieved one million tons before.

Members conclude poor conditions of the sector have compelled the board to lower the target.

They further argued that while a ton of cocoa currently sells at 3, 189.48 dollars on the global market, an equivalent of almost 1000 Ghana cedis, government pays farmers only 3,392 cedis.

''This constitutes less than 40 per cent of the international market price when government had promised 70 percent. Another factor we want to cite is the collapse of the mass spraying exercise and the general economic challenges are some of the serious issues confronting this sector.

Other issues they are drawing attention to include smuggling of cocoa to neighboring countries where prices are higher.

The group is giving government up to one month to address the issues or they will go ahead to organize their parents for one of the massive protests ever to hit this country.

Some aggrieved cocoa farmers spoke to Luv Biz on the cause their children are pursuing on their behalf.

''Things are difficult now and yet the government seems to cheating us. Cote D'ivoire buys the bag at almost 500 Ghana cedis so why should Ghana buy it at 212 cedis. Because prices of items keep soaring and we cannot even cultivate more, for instance I use to harvest over 150 bags a year but now I struggle to even manage 100 bags. In fact, we are eager for the demonstration.' They cried out.