A cocoa pod grows on a farm in Osino in the Eastern Region, Ghana. [REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko]
Low prices and delayed payments are driving Ghana's cocoa farmers to sell to sophisticated smuggling rings, impacting future production, growers and officials told Reuters.
Despite global cocoa prices doubling this year, Ghana's fixed farmer prices haven't matched this rise, giving smugglers, especially from Togo, an advantage.
Cocobod's marketing board has struggled to purchase cocoa in the Volta and Oti regions since January, as all production has been trafficked. Smuggling has surged over the past three seasons, with organized cartels using elaborate methods.
Cocobod officials report significant losses due to smuggling and illegal mining, exacerbating the crisis for farmers.
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