Cashew farmers in the West Gonja Municipal have condemned what they describe as exploitative buying practices by some cashew aggregators in Damongo, accusing them of flouting officially approved pricing directives and undermining farmer livelihoods.
According to the farmers, certain buyers are purchasing raw cashew nuts at GH₵10.00 per kilogram, significantly below the GH₵12.00 minimum producer price approved by the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA). The TCDA price is based on a 46 out-turn, 190 nuts count, and a maximum moisture content of 10 percent.
The Union President of the West Gonja Municipal Co-operative Cashew Farmers and Marketing Union Ltd, Iddrisu Sumani, says the practice violates TCDA regulations and threatens the sustainability of the cashew value chain in the Savannah Region. He revealed that his office has received multiple complaints from distressed farmers who, due to financial hardship and weak enforcement, feel compelled to sell their produce at the lower price.
“These actions reverse the gains made over the years in farmer empowerment, cooperative development, and fair trade,” Mr. Sumani noted. “They distort the market and erode confidence in a sector that supports thousands of rural livelihoods.”
Mr. Sumani, who is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bunyanso Farms Limited, stressed that for more than three decades, the company has played a key role in transforming the cashew industry in the region through fair pricing, ethical aggregation, value addition, and sustainable market systems. He warned that allowing price undercutting by unscrupulous buyers threatens this legacy and the long-term viability of the industry.
The Union has therefore called on the Tree Crops Development Authority to intensify monitoring and enforcement in Damongo and surrounding cashew-producing communities. It has also urged municipal and security authorities to support compliance with the approved minimum producer price.
Additionally, licensed buyers and aggregators have been reminded to strictly adhere to the GH₵12.00 per kilogram minimum price, while farmers are being encouraged to report any violations to their cooperatives and relevant authorities.
“The cashew farmer deserves dignity, fairness, and protection under the law,” Mr. Sumani emphasized. “Exploitation has no place in a regulated and growing tree crops sector.”
Source: Padfm.com.gh/Kumatey Gorden/0243531604
