Cocoa farmers in Adansi Ahensan in Ghana’s Ashanti Region say they are not prepared to sell their farms for illegal mining, despite concerns over a recent reduction in producer prices.
The farmers are calling on the government to explain the factors that led to the cut, saying clarity will help them decide the future of their farms. Some say they feel the ruling government has failed to protect the financial interests of cocoa growers.
Adansi Ahensan is a farming community in the Fomena District, where most residents depend on cocoa and food crop cultivation for their livelihoods.
On February 12, 2026, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) reduced the producer price of cocoa to GH¢2,587 per 64kg bag for the remainder of the 2025/2026 season. That represents a 28% drop from the previous price of GH¢3,625 per bag.
COCOBOD said the move was intended to align domestic prices with falling global market rates and address managerial challenges within the sector.
The decision has sparked frustration in several cocoa-growing districts, with some farmers reportedly threatening to sell their lands for mining, including illegal small-scale mining, known locally as galamsey.
In Adansi Ahensan, however, opinions appear divided.
John Kwame Sarkodie, a cocoa farmer in the area, said he was worried about falling cocoa prices both locally and internationally. But he insisted that selling his farm for mining would not be an option.
“The last thing I will consider in my life is to sell my cocoa farm for mining,” he told GHOne News.
Another farmer, Kwaku Antwi, said he did not believe the government alone should be blamed for developments in the cocoa sector. He called on fellow farmers to cooperate with authorities to address the challenges facing the industry.
But Cynthia Oforiwaa, a cocoa farmer in the community, said she was contemplating selling her farm for mining due to the economic pressures caused by the price reduction.
The debate in Adansi Ahensan reflects wider concerns within Ghana’s cocoa sector, as farmers weigh financial survival against the long-term environmental and social consequences of illegal mining.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Isaac Justice Bediako
