Farmers demand new coffee price
Apersika (Eastern Region) 04 June 2001
Farmers in the Fanteakwa District on Friday appealed to the government to come out with a new producer price for coffee to enable them to dispose of the produce.
The District Chairman of Coffee Farmers Association, Opanyin Kwaku Adu told the Ghana News Agency at Apersika that if a uniformed coffee price was announced by the government like other cash crops, farmers in the area would be encouraged to invest more in the cultivation of the crop.
He complained that about 70 maxi bags of coffee were left at Apersika and Nnama without buyers, to the detriment of the farmers.
Opanyin Adu said this phenomenon had compelled most farmers, especially the youth in the area to destroy their coffee seedlings and divert to the cultivation of cereals to generate quick income.
He expressed concern at the rate some unscrupulous coffee buyers wanted to capitalise on the unreliable price of the crop to cheat farmers in the area.
Opanyin Adu appealed to the government to give recognition to coffee cultivation and come out with a reliable price annually to enhance quick disposal of the crop from the farm gate.
This, he said, would not only encourage the youth in the area to go into the cultivation of the crop, but also discourage them from drifting to the urban centres to seek non-existent jobs.
GRi.../
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