Cashew farmers in the Bono Region have called on government to come to their aid to help them increase productivity as well as regulate pricing to ensure fair trade.
Cashew after earning the country $2.8 billion in 2018 compared to 2.5 billion in 2017, has become Ghana’s highest Non-Traditional Export.
Speaking to Ohene Addo, the host of ‘Nkosuo Nsem’ a Plan B FM morning show, Chairman of the Bono Region Cashew Farmers Association, Paul Adinkra said in spite of its contribution to the economy, the cashew sector, just like other agricultural sectors, face many challenges including lack of incentives for farmers and the absence of a regulator or a board to ensure fair pricing.
“Prices have fallen significantly in the last two years. There is no immediate relief in sight. The base price of GHc4 per kilogram is woefully inadequate”, he said
“We have been exploited by a group of buyers. The buyers always go for a meeting and make their own decisions. They later come to impose whatever they have decided on us, the farmers. We are not happy about it. We are suffering. We are calling on government to intervene and ensure the welfare of cashew farmers”, he lamented
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