Mr Drissa Ouattara, the Dormaa Central Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) says the minimum producer price of cashew remains at GH¢8.50 pesewas per kilogramme.

He said, “those trading in the commodity above or below the Tree Crop Development Authority’s approved price in the area did so on the contrary.”

Mr Ouattara made the statement when he was responding to a concern raised by a member of the Dormaa Central Municipal Assembly about the unstable price of the commodity and what the authorities were doing to stabilise it at the first ordinary meeting of the fourth session of the Assembly held at Dormaa-Ahenkro, Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region.

The meeting was attended by Assembly Members, heads of department, traditional leaders, representatives of the local clergy, heads of security agencies, leaders of traders’ associations and the staff of the Assembly.

He said following reports of sale of cashew at unapproved prices recently, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister and a delegation came to Danyame, a community in the Municipality to hold a meeting with farmers, cashew buying companies and those within the cashew value chain to identify their concerns and challenges particularly on price instability of the commodity.

The MCE said at the meeting a proposal was made for the establishment of a bank in the area to help secure farmers’ investments.

This, he explained was because, “the unstable price affected sales of the nuts as some farmers transported their cashew to buying centres expecting to get sales but bags load of cashew were grounded by agents with an excuse that they don’t have money to pay the farmers and thus the farmers left the depots without receiving payment for the cashew they have brought.”

On the influx of truckloads of cashew from la Cote d’Ivoire to the depots at Dormaa-Ahenkro for sale and consequently appeared a major disadvantage to local farmers, Mr Ouattara indicated those depots were built to take huge quantities of cashew from la Cote d’Ivoire due to proximity.

“The quantity of cashew produced in the Municipality as compared to that of la Cote d’Ivoire is negligible. This notwithstanding, we cannot discourage local farmers’ involvement in cashew production.

 ”That’s why the government has established the Tree Crop Development Authority to control and develop production and collectively promote the interest of farmers,” he added.

Mr Ouattara said other quality specifications recommended by the Authority for the production of cashew nuts include 46kov, 190 CN and moisture content of 10 per cent.

The MCE, therefore directed the Municipal Directorate of Agriculture to spearhead efforts at establishing farmers’ cooperatives which would seek the welfare of the farmers in cashew production.

Nana Kwadwo Damoah Afari, the Sanaahene (chief treasurer) of Dormaa Traditional Area and a representative of the traditional council at the Assembly said it was obligatory for authorities to ensure inclusivity and diversity in the cashew value chain.

He suggested alleged reports of sale of cashew at unapproved prices by unlicensed, while unregulated buying companies must be dealt with strategically so that it would not adversely affect farmers and the businesses of those individual buying companies in the production and development of the sector.

Madam Cecilia Adomah Yeboah, the Municipal Director of Agriculture said the Directorate had embarked on a series of outreach programmes to sensitise, educate, and interact with farmers and interest groups on developments in the sector.

She said the sector’s advancement in the area was on a low scale, saying it was thus carefully, tactically, and gradually being developed.

Mr Samuel Korankye Akyirem, an Assembly Member entreated farmers to produce quality cashew to warrant right and approved price at the cashew buying centres and depots in the Municipality.