Tree Crops Development Authority dismisses GH¢25 cashew price claim 

The Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) has dismissed claims that Ghana's minimum producer price for cashew was GH¢25 per kilogram, describing them as misinformation.

A statement issued by the Authority and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the official minimum producer price announced for the 2024 season was GH¢8.50 per kilogram, while the highest was GH¢15.00 per kilogram for the 2025 season.

For the 2026 season, TCDA explained that the calculated minimum producer price was GH¢11.16 per kilogram but Government, through the Authority, increased it to GH¢12.00 per kilogram to provide additional support to farmers.

The Authority stressed that cashew farmgate prices were determined through a consultative process involving stakeholders across the value chain and guided by international Free on Board (FOB) prices, exchange rate trends and operational costs.

“Cashew farmgate prices are not arbitrarily set. They are arrived at through a consultative process involving key stakeholders and actors across the value chain and are guided by critical market indicators,” the statement said.

It noted that Ghana's minimum cashew producer prices had consistently remained among the highest in the sub-region, with current farmgate prices in neighbouring countries ranging between GH¢7.15 and GH¢8.00 per kilogram.

Burkina Faso offered between GH¢7.55 and GH¢7.80, Côte d'Ivoire between GH¢7.85 and GH¢8.00, Benin between GH¢7.36 and GH¢7.50, and Togo between GH¢7.15 and GH¢7.30.

Established under the Tree Crops Development Authority Act, 2019 (Act 1010), the TCDA is mandated to regulate and develop the production, processing and trading of cashew, coconut, oil palm, rubber, mango and shea.

The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to improving farmer incomes through value addition, particularly cashew apple processing, while supporting Government's Agriculture for Economic Transformation agenda.

It urged the public, media practitioners, bloggers and stakeholders to verify information from official sources before publication, stressing that accurate information was essential for protecting farmer interests, maintaining market confidence and promoting sustainable growth in the cashew industry.

The statement reiterated TCDA's resolve to set the record straight on cashew producer pricing and ensure that public discourse on the sector was informed by verified facts.

GNA