Cocoa farmers in the Assin North District of the Central Region have staged a peaceful protest to express their displeasure over the reduction in the cocoa producer price for the 2025/2026 season.
The farmers say the decision will negatively affect their livelihoods, household welfare, and their ability to support their families.
Speaking to the media after the demonstration at Assin Brasiako, the Chief Farmer of the community, Ransford Quainoo, lamented that the price cut could severely impact his ability to cater for his children’s education despite decades of dedication to cocoa farming.
“I have worked for 40 years as a cocoa farmer. With the new reduction in the cocoa price, I can no longer pay my children’s university fees,” he said.
“The previous government paid us a little better, but now the price has been reduced, and it is affecting our livelihood.
Mr. Quainoo appealed to the government to either maintain the previous price or honour the GH¢7,000 producer price promised during the 2024 election campaign, stressing that anything short of that would further impoverish cocoa farmers.
The protesting farmers were drawn from several cocoa-growing communities including Dansame, Asempanaye, Praso, Breku and Assin Nuaso.
Some of the disgruntled farmers described the situation as worsening, noting that the price reduction would affect their ability to meet basic household needs.
“We don’t have enough money to buy good food. We suffer on the farm to feed our families, and now the cocoa price has been reduced. Our lives are at stake,” one farmer stated.
Meanwhile, the Aduana-hemaa of Assin Dansame, Nana Ama Dede, together with some cocoa purchasing clerks who joined the protest, also expressed concern about the development. They lamented that they are facing mounting pressure from farmers demanding payment of proceeds.
According to them, the situation has become unbearable as farmers frequently confront them over delayed or reduced payments, making it difficult for them to remain passive.
They have therefore called on authorities to urgently address the concerns of cocoa farmers to prevent further unrest within cocoa-growing communities.
Submitted: Oheneba Yeboah
