The Minority in Parliament has expressed strong condemnation towards the government regarding the new cocoa prices set for the 2024 harvesting season.
In a statement released by the ranking member on the parliamentary committee on food and agriculture, who also serves as the Asunafo South MP, Eric Opoku, it was emphasized how the government is exploiting the impoverished cocoa farmers by failing to provide them with fair compensation for their produce when it is sold in the international market.
During a media interview, Sampson Ahi, the MP for Bodi Constituency in the Western North region, voiced his disbelief at the government’s lack of transparency towards cocoa farmers. He questioned the rationale behind selling a bag of cocoa in the international market for GHs 8000 and only allocating GHS 2000 to the farmers, expecting praise for such actions.
Ahi stressed the urgent need for the government to prioritize cocoa farmers to bolster the sector, thereby generating substantial cash inflows to alleviate the economic challenges facing the country. He emphasized that agriculture remains the backbone of the economy and must be given due attention.
Listen to the audio below:
He proposed that the government could have at least allocated 50% of the earnings from the international market to the cocoa farmers, rather than the incremental amount provided.
Additionally, he suggested that to combat cocoa smuggling to neighboring countries, the government should set cocoa prices slightly higher than those offered by these countries, thereby dissuading cocoa farmers from engaging in smuggling activities.
Story by: Appiah Kubi/Ahotoronline.com
