Ghana Cocoa Board(COCOBOD) has cautioned cocoa farmers against smuggling their produce to neighbouring countries.
This comes after they threatened to send their cocoa to other countries after the government announced producer prices for the 2022/2023 crop season.
The government announced a 21% increment in the price of cocoa, which translates into GH¢12,800 per tonne and GH¢800 per bag of 64 kg. gross weight for the 2022/ 2023 cocoa crop season.
A bag of cocoa was previously selling for GH¢660, while a tonne was selling at GH¢10,560 in Ghana.
The new prices will take effect from Friday, October 14, 2022.
Some farmers, however, have expressed their displeasure over the new prices, describing them as inadequate.
They have therefore threatened to smuggle the cocoa to Ivory Coast and other neighbouring countries in hopes of selling them at much higher prices.
Speaking to the media, the Public Affairs Manager at COCOBOD, Fiifi Boafo, has asked the security services at the borders to arrest any farmer that dares to engage in cocoa smuggling.
“If persons are engaged in illegality, our expectation is that the law will take its course,” he said.
Mr Boafo revealed that there are incentives to motivate the security officers stationed at the borders to arrest culprits.
“The understanding is that if you are transporting cocoa along our borders, there is a percentage that is paid to the policemen who will arrest you for this illegality, and I am sure that the policemen, when they meet you smuggling cocoa will obviously arrest you because there is something to enjoy from that,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, and Chairman of the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto has said “the 21 per cent rise in the producer price of cocoa is a testament to government’s resolve to ensure farmers earn a decent income and make cocoa farming lucrative.”
Announcing the new cocoa price, he added that “the government will continue to implement initiatives to build a robust, resilient and sustainable cocoa industry where cocoa farmers and their communities will thrive.”