Asutifi cocoa farmers unhappy with purchasing clerks

Cocoa farmers in the Asutifi area of the Brong Ahafo Region have alleged that Purchasing Clerks operating in the vicinity have tampered with weighing scales, and are thereby purchasing cocoa at reduced weighing rates from vulnerable farmers.  

Addressing a news conference in Sunyani, Eric Osafo Asuako, President of the Asutifi Farmers Network, said Purchasing Clerks have refused to use weighing stones during their transactions with farmers in order not to expose their sneaky dealing of adjusting weighing scales to cheat farmers. 

Government through the Cocoa Board has introduced some special weighing stones -- of which six with two cocoa sacks weigh 64kg, equivalent to an approved weight of a bag of cocoa. 

Purchasing clerks are supposed to conduct similar measurements of stones and sacks to indicate that their weighing scales are not tampered with before any cocoa measurement -- but this, the farmers claim, many clerks are not adhering to; thus buying at reduced weights which result in financial losses to the farmers. 

According to the Farmers Network, they have conducted thorough checks in some cocoa growing communities following complaints by the farmers, upon which they uncovered that the farmers were truly short-changed by some unscrupulous purchasing clerks. The table below shows the findings of the Network.

Mr. Asuako said many attempts to get the issue addressed have proved futile, hence the Action Aid Ghana supported press conference to express their dismay about the unpleasant development. “We called a meeting of all purchasing clerks in the district but none of them showed up. We subsequently decided to hold a meeting with the cocoa-buying companies, but our wish was also dashed there,” he lamented.

The farmers have therefore as a matter of concern appealed to the Cocoa Board and Government to lead a crusade to cleanse the system and save them from the cruel activities of some purchasing clerks. 

They further called for intensified public education about the special weighing stones, which they say most famers are not familiar with -- thus making them susceptible to the heinous operations of these clerks. 

Communities	Purchasing Companies	Approved weight per bag (kg)	Alleged new weights (kg)	Adjusted weight difference (kg)	Money value of difference (GH¢)
Gambia No.1	AkuafoAdamfo	64	58	6	19.20
Gambia No.2	P.B.C	64	63	1	3.20
Gambia No.2	AkuafoAdamfo	64	57	7	22.40
Gambia No.2	Olam	64	53	11	35.20
Gambia No.2	Merchant	64	56	8	25.60
Gambia No.2	Kuapa	64	56	8	25.60
Kojokrom	Adwamapa	64	63	1	3.20
Kenyasi No.3	Amajaro	64	57	7	22.40
Kojokrom	Amajaro	64	53	11	35.20
Gambia No.1	P.B.C	64	63	1	3.20
Kenyasi No.3	P.B.C	64	59	5	16.00
Kenyasi No.3	Olam	64	55	9	28.80

  B&FT