Cocoa farmers in parts of the Ashanti Region are increasingly turning to illegal gold mining, locally known as galamsey, as financial pressures mount amid delayed payments and falling producer prices.
In the rural community of Atwima Mponua, many farmers say they took out loans to invest in cocoa production, only to find themselves struggling to meet repayment obligations.
“We went for loans to start cocoa farming, now banks are chasing us because we have not been paid,” one of the farmers told Asaase News. “Most of my colleagues have sold their lands for galamsey because bank loans give them sleepless nights.”
The growing shift from cocoa farming to small-scale mining threatens not only household incomes but also Ghana’s cocoa production and the environment. Analysts warn that continued land degradation and a reduced focus on cocoa could hit the sector’s output in the coming years.
Amid the crisis, the Minority Caucus in Parliament has been touring cocoa-growing communities in the Ashanti Region to witness the plight of farmers firsthand.
During a visit to Atwima Mponua, the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annor-Dompreh, said the government’s failure to maintain producer prices was pushing farmers toward desperate measures.
He said the development signals what he described as a lack of support for farmers who form the backbone of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
“The government has directed Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to suspend cocoa purchases nationwide, causing distress among Ghanaian cocoa farmers, while Ivory Coast continues buying activities,” he claimed.
“The reactions from farmers show they are unhappy and uncomfortable with the price cut,” the Nsawam/Adoagyiri lawmaker added.
Adding his voice to the development was Fred Kyei Asamoah, the NPP MP for Offinso North who criticised the government’s decision to cut cocoa producer prices, urging authorities to establish a special support fund for farmers instead.
The legislator says the move was a betrayal of farmers who had supported the ruling administration based on campaign promises.
“If the government could not increase the price to what was promised, it should at least have kept it at GHC3,100, where it picked the price from,” he said.
Kyei Asamoah, who described himself as a beneficiary of cocoa-supported education, said it was unfair to reduce prices at a time when farmers were already under pressure.
He added that proceeds from cocoa sales could have been used to address debts owed to farmers rather than justify a price cut.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore, Nana Ayew Afriyie, backed the call and outlined plans by the Minority to push for relief measures.
“We want him to do that now and will not wait for the next election,” he said, referring to demands for the government to restore cocoa prices and settle outstanding payments to farmers.
The Minority says it will intensify pressure on the government to address concerns raised by cocoa farmers, warning that the current policy could further strain the sector.
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The cocoa sector remains critical to Ghana’s economy, generating significant foreign exchange and sustaining rural livelihoods. But with delayed payments, declining prices, and rising debts, the once-stable industry faces mounting challenges that risk reversing years of progress.
