Bono/Bono East MPs Urge Gov’t to Reevaluate GHS7.00 Cashew Gate Price for Farmers

Members of Parliament (MPs) representing the cashew farming regions of Bono and Bono East are advocating for a reconsideration of the recently established minimum gate price for cashew in their constituencies.

Expressing concern over the financial challenges faced by cashew farmers in the regions, the MPs are urging the government to implement measures that would raise the minimum farm gate price for the upcoming 2023/24 season.

Their call comes in response to the recent announcement by the Tree Crops Development Authority, an agency of the government, which set a new minimum price for cashew effective from January 2024. The revised price pegged a kilogram of cashew at a minimum of GHC7, a reduction from the initial price of GHc8.5 per kilogram.

William Agyapong Quaittoo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crop Development Authority, attributed the adjustment to developments in the international market for cashew products.

However, the Bono/Bono East MPs, in a joint press briefing in parliament, expressed their dissatisfaction with the new price, emphasizing its significant deviation from the previous rate.

The caucus spokesperson, Hon Frederick Yaw Ahenkwah, who represents Jaman, recalled that the government had announced a minimum farm gate price of ¢8.50 per kilogram in 2022, up from ¢5 per kilogram in the previous crop season. He noted that farmers had anticipated a further increase, expecting the government to fix the minimum price at either GHS9.00 or GHS10.00 to support enhanced production.

The MPs highlighted the current predicament of cashew farmers operating at a loss due to the GHS7.00 farm gate price. They pointed to factors such as high inflation and production costs, asserting that the producer price had experienced a substantial decline from the initial GHS10.00 earlier in the year, negatively impacting the farmers’ capacity to produce.

In light of these challenges, the Bono/Bono East MPs urgently called on the government to reconsider and adjust the price upward, emphasizing the importance of supporting farmers to enhance their capacity and ultimately contribute to increased government revenue.

credit:  expressnewsghana.com