Cocoa farmers in Gyampokrom, located in the Sehwi Juaboso District of the Western North Region, have threatened to smuggle their harvests into Ivory Coast as a response to intensifying economic challenges.
The farmers, who operate near the border, warned that they are prepared to take this drastic action if the government does not significantly increase the producer price of cocoa for the current year. They are specifically calling for a price adjustment from the current GH¢660.00 per bag to GH¢1,200.00, arguing that the existing rate no longer covers the basic costs of production or the needs of their families.
The grievance stems from a surge in the cost of essential farm inputs, labor, and other services, which has left many farming households unable to cope with the rising cost of living. Supporting these concerns, the president of the Coalition for Cocoa Sector Reforms, Ayisi Kumah Thomas Kwesi, emphasized that the government must take immediate action to address the plight of these farmers, who continue to endure extreme poverty despite their critical role in the economy.
Without a competitive price that reflects the current market reality, the farmers maintain that the financial incentive to move their produce across the border will remain a necessity for their survival.
By late 2025, the cocoa sector has seen historic shifts in pricing and policy designed to mitigate these very issues. The government has since introduced more aggressive price hikes to align more closely with global market trends and to combat the persistent threat of cross-border smuggling.
Furthermore, enhanced social intervention programs and a more robust implementation of the Living Income Differential have begun to provide a more stable financial floor for farmers in border towns like Gyampokrom, though the high cost of inputs remains a central topic of discussion in agricultural policy today.
