Cashew Traders & Exporters Association of Ghana have raised concern over the detrimental impact of unauthorized individuals who have over the years infiltrated their businesses and thereby thwarting their efforts to provide job opportunities for the youth as well as generating funds for the government to help build the economy.
The traders claim that as a result of the activities of these individuals mainly foreigners, their livelihoods are being threatened.
They said these foreigners have allegedly been manipulating the market by directly purchasing cashew crops from farmers at inflated prices, an act that they indicate, undermining the established trade practices and potentially collapsing the local cashew industry.
Speaking on behalf of the Association in a telephone interview, Mr. Alex Owusu Adjei the National Chairman explained that these “foreigners” started their unlawful cashew purchases activities about 16 years ago until recently where they have virtually taken over industry and directly buying the cashews from the cashew growing areas with their own fixed prices.
Such operations, he said are unlawful according to international trade regulations, of which he stressed, no country would allow.
The chairman claims that these foreigners are their principals who buy their cashew crops in abroad but after allegedly realizing that the laws of the country doesn’t bite, hence they have taken advantage to come down to Ghana directly to manipulate the cashews industry to the disadvantage of the Ghanaian exporters.
From years now we have fought hard to resist these foreigners but to know avail, even our politicians couldn’t help us to develop the cashew industry which he said, if free hands are given to them they would provide countless job opportunities for the youth.
Chairman Alex Owusu Adjei argues that the practices of the foreigners, goes against the regulations established by the Tree Crop Development Authority indicating that the issue is very serious and demands urgent attention.
This practice does not only undermine the established pricing system for the cashew, but also damaging the integrity of the local industry.
The National Chairman stressed that due to the frustrations faced by the Association, many members have laid down their workers while others have collapsed their outfits.
The aggrieved Cashew Traders & Exporters Association of Ghana are calling on the government, led by His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, to urgently intervene and stop what they describe as a “canker” that is threatening their livelihoods.
Members of the Association fear that the activities of the foreigners will not only cripple cashew buying businesses but it will also negatively affect farmers in the near future, once the market is destabilized.
“We are appealing to the government to step in before things escalate, Chairman Alex Owusu Adjei indicated and stressed that If this continues, we may not have a viable cashew market in the future.
These foreigners will eventually leave and our farmers will be at a loss.” Mr. Owusu stated.
The Cashew Traders & Exporters Association of Ghana are urging the government to investigate and implement measures to ensure that trade practices are fair, sustainable, and in accordance with the guidelines set by the Tree Crop Development Authority. They believe that immediate action is necessary to preserve the local cashew industry and ensure its continued viability.
Whilst appealing to President John Dramani Mahama to use his own powers to stabilize the Cashew industry from decline , Chairman Alex Owusu Adjei further demanded that the security agencies should also be deployed to the cashew growing areas to conduct checks and if a foreigner is caught in the act of buying cashew be dispelled.
This he said would ensure the total revival of the cashew industry.
