The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, has warned smugglers of cocoa to be careful because the government has buckled up.

According to him, some unscrupulous merchants who have pitched camps in Togo are charging fees that entice cocoa farmers to sell their cocoa at higher prices.

He added that cocoa production from the eastern zone of Ghana has fallen by almost 80% because of smuggling.

“You have some merchants that have come to camp here from Togo, and all they are doing is enticing the farmers to buy the cocoa beans at US$3,000. We [Ghana Cocoa Board] are paying US$1,800. Since they came to camp, the cocoa from the [sector] from Oti to Aflao – we call it the eastern zone of our country – has dropped by almost 80% in the main crop season,” Acheampong said.

Acheampong said the government has made various investments to ensure that smuggling is reduced.

“In the light crop season, which is June to when we opened the cocoa season in September, not a single bean has come from that zone… We have also put in a lot of investment and this year, those merchants will have to deal with me,” the minister said.

SSD/NOQ

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