agriculture and commodities
Cocoa Farmers Sell Farms to Miners With GHS170,000 Per Acre Deals
A study by Save the Mining Communities-Ghana found cocoa farmers in the Eastern Region are increasingly selling their farms to illegal miners. Farmers receive between GHS40,000 and GHS170,000 per acre. This trend is driven by low cocoa prices, delayed payments, and high farming costs. The report warns of major effects on Ghana's cocoa exports and food security.
Farmers are selling due to economic problems. These include low cocoa prices, late payments, and the high cost of farming. Farmers reported getting between GHS40,000 and GHS170,000 per acre for their land. Some choose a "load" system. Here, miners take 70% of gold findings, and farmers get 30%. Farmers see this as more profitable than growing cocoa.
A key reason for selling is the long time it takes for cocoa to grow (5 to 7 years) and the high cost of upkeep. Farmers also face payment delays for their cocoa beans. Some have not been paid since November 2025. The producer price for cocoa dropped from GHS3,625 to GHS2,587 per 64kg bag. This cut farmers' income.
Many affected farmers are smallholders. They depend only on cocoa for their living. Selling their farms helps them repay debts. Some use the money for new jobs, like transport services for miners. But many worry they lack business skills for these new ventures.
Save the Mining Communities-Ghana warns this trend will hurt national cocoa production. Cocoa is a main export and earns foreign money. The mining also damages land and water. This could affect future food supply. The group calls for urgent government action. This includes timely payments to farmers, fair prices, and better access to loans.
Source: StatsGH — Ghana's data-driven news platform