Cocoa farmers at Sefwi Debiso in the Bia West District of the Western North Region have decided to ‘smuggle’ their cocoa products to Cote D’Ivoire.
This decision is to sell the cocoa in the neighbouring country to enable them fend for their families.
The aggrieved farmers disclosed this when they took their turn on the People’s Forum segment on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, Thursday.
Though government has increased cocoa price from GH¢660 to GH¢800, the farmers maintain that, it is woefully inadequate.
They claim their lives have moved from bad to worse and their wives are threatening to divorce them.
They argue that the cost of farm inputs, and labourers have increased astronomically – a situation they blame on the current socio-economic conditions in the country.
They appealed to the government to adjust the price or else they will sell their cocoa in Cote D’Ivoire which has pegged its price to about ¢858 for the same season.
Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive for Bia West, Bernard Gyebi Blay, appealed for calm.
He said government is working around the clock to revive the ailing economy.
This notwithstanding, Mr Blay said the Akufo-Addo government has done a lot of projects in agric, health and education to ameliorate the plight of residents.
“There is hope so let’s support government to deliver on its promises to the people,” he added.