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AGRICULTURE

Concerns arise as price of cashew declines - TCDA

The Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) has attributed the sharp decline in the price of cashews in the country to poor yields.

Date Created : 2/29/2024 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Emmanuel Gyan/Ghanadistrict.com

Accordingly, Mr Joseph Alexander Bonsu, farmers representative on the TCDA said Ghana's international price for cashews fell marginally from US$1050 to US$830 per ton.

In 2023, he said the country's cashew product was considered the best quality in the sub-Saharan region, internationally and thereby fetching the nation a good price.

Locally, the price of cashew has declined from GHC8.5 selling between GHC7.5 and GHC7 per kilo.Mr Bonsu was speaking at a media engagement with cashew farmers and stakeholders organised by the Cashew Watch Ghana (CWG) held at Sampa in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region.

The engagement attended by farmers and processors drawn from the Tain and Jaman North Districts as well as the Jaman South Municipality formed part of the activities of a project being implemented by the CWG with support from the Star Ghana Foundation.

CWG is a platform of civil society comprising cashew farmers, media practitioners and Non-governmental organisations that advocate and promote the economic livelihoods of especially women farmers in cashew production.

Titled "amplifying the voices of cashew farmers", the project among other objectives sought to identify, advocate and help tackle pertinent challenges confronting cashew farms and the growth and development of the sector.

Mr Bonsu said the rise in the dollar rate and improved quality yields that met international standards remained a key index to determine a better price for cashew products.

He, therefore, advised cashew farmers to dry their beans well and also form cooperatives, as the government worked to find a standardized scale for the measurement of cashew nuts in the country.

Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the National Convener of CWG underscored the need for cashew farmers in the country to form cooperatives in tackling the challenges confronting the sector, including access to ready markets and good market price for nuts.