Some cocoa farmers in parts of the Ashanti Region have taken drastic measures in response to their dissatisfaction with the recent cocoa price adjustment.

Frustrated by what they describe as an insufficient increment, the farmers have begun cutting down their cocoa trees to make way for rice farms.

Farmers at Prabon, in the Afigya Kwabre North District, one of the region’s cocoa-producing communities, say they are abandoning cocoa farming for more profitable ventures.

According to them, the new price of GH¢3,228.75 per bag of cocoa, which includes an increment of GH¢128.75, is not enough to sustain their livelihoods.

They allege that President John Dramani Mahama had promised during his campaign to raise the price to GH¢6,000 per bag, and the current figure falls far short of that commitment.

Speaking to Angel OTEC News reporter Kwame Agyenim Boateng on Monday, August 11, 2025, the farmers said rice, maize, and cassava farming are now more lucrative than cocoa.

They warned that unless the government reviews the price upward, they will continue abandoning cocoa farms in favour of more profitable crops.

The farmers’ actions have sparked concerns about the future of cocoa production in the region and the potential economic implications for the country.

As the situation develops, it remains to be seen whether the government will revisit the cocoa price to address their concerns.