Cashew farmers in the West Gonja Municipal of the Savannah Region have raised strong concerns over what they describe as exploitative buying practices by some cashew aggregators operating in Damongo, accusing them of deliberately disregarding approved pricing regulations and undermining farmer livelihoods.
According to the farmers, certain buyers are purchasing raw cashew nuts at GH₵10.00 per kilogram, well below the GH₵12.00 minimum producer price approved by the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA). The approved price is based on a 46 out-turn, 190 nut 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, Mr. Iddrisu Sumani Azambuja described the practice as a blatant violation of TCDA regulations and a serious threat to the sustainability of the cashew value chain in the Savannah Region.
He disclosed that the Union has received several complaints from distressed farmers who due to financial pressure and weak enforcement of the pricing directives feel forced to sell their produce at the lower price.
“These actions are reversing the gains made over the years in farmer empowerment, cooperative development, and fair trade,” Mr. Sumani stated.
“They distort the market and erode confidence in a sector that supports thousands of rural households.”
Mr. Sumani, who also serves as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bunyanso Farms Limited, noted that for more than three decades the company has contributed significantly to the growth of the cashew industry in the region through fair pricing, ethical aggregation, value addition and the promotion of sustainable market systems.
He warned that unchecked price undercutting by unscrupulous buyers threatens this hard-earned progress and the long-term future of the industry.
The Union has therefore called on the Tree Crops Development Authority to intensify monitoring and enforcement efforts in Damongo and surrounding cashew-producing communities and also appealed to municipal authorities and security agencies to support the enforcement of the approved minimum producer price.
Licensed buyers and aggregators have been reminded to strictly comply with the GH₵12.00 per kilogram minimum price, while farmers are being encouraged to report any violations to their cooperatives and relevant regulatory bodies.
“The cashew farmer deserves dignity, fairness, and protection under the law,” Mr. Sumani emphasized. “There must be no room for exploitation in a regulated and growing tree crops sector.”
Source: Nkilgi FM
