Social activist Lydia Ampiah Hayford has criticised the GH¢63 increase in the producer price of cocoa, describing the adjustment as inadequate and insufficient to address the challenges facing cocoa farmers.
Speaking on Plan B FM’s EBAANOSEN, hosted by Ohene Kinnah, Ms Ampiah Hayford said although the increase could enable the government to provide certain amenities, the amount does not adequately reflect the needs and difficulties of cocoa farmers.
She described the increment as an “insult” to farmers and questioned the basis on which the new producer price was determined.
According to her, the government should have clearly explained the processes and considerations used to arrive at the new price, particularly the percentage increase intended to benefit cocoa farmers.
Ms Ampiah Hayford argued that the GH¢63 increment was too small given the rising cost of inputs and other challenges confronting cocoa farmers.
She suggested that an increase of GH¢100 or GH¢200 would have been more meaningful and would have brought the producer price closer to the level left by the previous administration.
She stressed the importance of cocoa to Ghana’s economy, describing the commodity as the “heart of Ghana.”
Ms Ampiah Hayford warned that developments that negatively affect cocoa farmers could have broader consequences for the country’s economy if farmers become discouraged.
She therefore appealed to the government and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Randy Abbey, to reconsider the new cocoa price and introduce measures that would provide greater support for cocoa farmers.
By: Patience Amonoo
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