The future of Ghana's cocoa production is in limbo as some cocoa farmers have threatened to cut down cocoa trees to pave way for Cassava and maize farming in Kwamoso and Kokormu, farming communities in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Cocoa farmers in the region have lost interest in the profession due to the non-availability of funds to purchase the cash crop from farmers, low pricing of the commodity and rampant increases of cocoa chemicals.

They told Soireenews that a lot is invested in cocoa farming yet they get peanuts from their sweat which is dragging most of the youth from the cocoa growing business.

The Vice-chairman of the Cooperative Farmers Association, Opanin William Wegba said, cocoa saw a change of price only once since last four years yet low prices and non-availability of funds to purchase the cash crop, the cost to convey their beans to cocoa shed and other factors continue to frustrate many of them by making their job unpopular.

He disclosed that Cocoa farming is labour intensive and prices of chemicals needed to maintain the farms have increased drastically in recent years which makes it difficult for farmers to break free from poverty due to the increasing growth of disappointment of the crop with low returns.

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"We want the government to reintroduce bonuses and other incentives as soon as possible. Since the government has declined to clear his outstanding debts as far back as December 4th till now, there is no money to settle us, while cocoa board staff continue to enjoy their monthly salaries in the expense of a cocoa farmer.

"Meanwhile, a half-acre of cassava currently cost over Five thousand Ghana cedis and aside from that, you don't need to advertise for market women to patronise. They come regularly and even pursue the farmers to accept payments as soon as the cassava crops are about four months to cultivation."

The farmers asserted that millions of small farmers in Ghana produce almost half of the world's cocoa yet they live in extreme poverty and it is time the government take measures to improve the conditions of all cocoa farmers in the country to save the profession.

William Ofori Akwaboa, Eastern Regional Correspondent