Cashew Farmers Renew Call for Fixed Annual Producer Price
Cashew farmers in the Bono Region are intensifying calls for government to introduce a fixed annual producer price for raw cashew nuts (RCNs), arguing that the current minimum-price arrangement exposes them to severe underpricing by aggregators and erodes their earnings.
Under existing practice, the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) announces only a minimum producer price ahead of each harvesting season. Buyers are expected to comply, but farmers say the lack of an enforceable fixed price allows aggregators to offer significantly lower amounts, especially during periods of peak supply.
The renewed advocacy emerged during a capacity-building workshop for leaders of cashew farmer cooperatives at Sampa in the Jaman North District. The workshop forms part of Cashew Watch Ghana’s ‘Amplifying the Voices of Cashew Farmers’ project, which aims to equip cooperatives with stronger leadership, negotiation and advocacy skills to influence policies across the cashew value chain.
Chairman of the Bono Cashew Farmers Cooperative, Daniel Munufie, said a fixed producer price, similar to the model used in the cocoa sector would provide stability and help farmers plan with greater certainty as global demand for RCNs continues to grow.
“For the 2024/2025 season, minimum price was set at GH¢15 per kilogramme, but some aggregators managed to push the price down to as low as GH¢5/kg, citing unjustified reasons,” he said.
Mr Munufie further alleged widespread manipulation of weighing scales in local cashew trading, noting that some aggregators deliberately adjust their scales to cheat producers. This practice, he said, is particularly common among itinerant buyers operating at the farm gate.
Although the law restricts aggregation to licenced firms, farmers claim unregistered buyers still dominate several communities. Beyond distorting prices, they argue these actors contribute to scale manipulation and have fuelled an increase in cashew theft, with stolen nuts allegedly sold to such buyers for quick cash.
He urged the TCDA to intensify monitoring, clamp down on illegal aggregators and enforce the use of certified weighing scales to protect farmers’ livelihoods and restore trust in the domestic trading system.
Addressing participants at the workshop, the Bono Regional Director of the Department of Cooperatives, Francisca Adorkor-Khein, encouraged cooperative leaders to build credibility and serve as strong advocates for their members. She emphasised the importance of clear communication, participatory decision-making, integrity and collaboration with key agencies on training, market access and sector reforms.
The National Coordinator of Cashew Watch Ghana, Raphael Godlove Ahenu, underscored the importance of empowering farmers’ leadership structures, noting that many producers still face highly volatile prices, limited market information and weak bargaining power. Strengthening their capacity, he said, is essential to enable them to push effectively for policy changes that will improve incomes across the sector.
The call for a fixed producer price adds to growing concerns among cashew farmers nationwide, who see pricing reform as crucial to ensuring fair compensation and sustainable production in one of Ghana’s most promising non-traditional export sectors.
