Cashew farmers in Wenchi, a town in the Bono Region, are urging President Nana Akufo-Addo to instruct the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA) to set and announce a minimum producer price for raw cashew nuts (RCNs) ahead of the December 7 general election.

Their appeal follows a recent 3.3% increase in cocoa prices, which has sparked hope for similar consideration for cashew producers. As of March 25, 2024, the price for raw cashew nuts stands at GH₵8.21 per kilogram.

According to the farmers, announcing a fixed minimum price for the 2024-2025 cashew season before the election would allow stakeholders in the cashew value chain to operate with greater confidence and stability. Led by the National Chairman of the Cashew Farmers Association, Nana Adu Boamponsem V, the farmers voiced their concerns during an interaction with journalists in Wenchi over the weekend.

Nana Boamponsem stated, “If the minimum producer price for cashew is fixed before the election on December 7, it will be binding for the next government irrespective of the political party that will form the government.”

He suggested that factors such as the current cedi-to-dollar exchange rate and the international market price for RCNs should be considered when setting the price.

“Currently, the cost of producing cashews has multiplied, and if the TCDA does not consider all the necessary indicators before fixing the price, it will adversely affect us, the farmers," Nana Boamponsem added.

The farmers also expressed disappointment that, aside from establishing the TCDA, the government has yet to fulfill other promises made to cashew growers.

“We have heard that other tree crop farmers have received some support from the government, but those of us cultivating cashews have not had anything," Boamponsem noted, urging the TCDA and government to support cashew farmers in reaching a production target of 400,000 metric tons of RCNs within four years.

The government, he added, should honor its pledge to elevate the cashew sector, similar to how cocoa has become one of Ghana’s top foreign exchange earners.

Secretary of the farmers, Yahaya Bellu, also called on the government to permit foreign buyers to purchase directly from farms or cooperatives if local buyers fail to pay the established minimum price. He emphasized that cashew farmers would consider their options in the upcoming election if their demands are unmet.

The demands from cashew farmers come shortly after cocoa farmers celebrated a price increase, with President Akufo-Addo recently raising the cocoa producer price from GH₵3,000 to GH₵3,100 per 64kg bag for the 2024/2025 crop season.

This adjustment, equivalent to GH₵49,600 per tonne, was designed to better reflect market conditions and offer additional support to cocoa producers.

A section of the general public believes this adjustment is to sway electorates to vote for the ruling party in the upcoming elections.