Cocoa farmers in Wanhassa District have expressed frustration over this year’s sharp decline in cocoa bean prices, which has severely affected household incomes and disrupted one of the region’s most vital agricultural sectors.

For generations, cocoa cultivation has served Wanhassa’s economy, sustaining thousands of families across Bolahun, Massabolahun, and Fangoda towns. 

However, the once-thriving cocoa trade has suffered a significant setback, with prices falling from LD$800 per kilo to LD$350, a decline of more than 56 per cent.

“Last year, they used to buy our cocoa at LD$800 per kilo, and some even at LD$1,000. This year, we are disheartened that the highest price is only LD$350,” said J. Vannie Karmo, a farmer from Fangoda. 

He noted that many families are now struggling to afford food, pay school fees, and maintain their farms as income from cocoa sales dwindles.

The Sebehill Kulasunumai Multi-Purpose Farmers Society, a cooperative established in 2008 to help producers secure fair prices and better market access, is also feeling the strain. 

Its manager, Fofie Nyeh, explained that finding buyers in Monrovia has become increasingly difficult.

“We are buying cocoa beans from farmers, but we are struggling to find buyers in Monrovia, making it difficult for us,” Nyeh said. 

He added that while some sales are being redirected to neighbouring Sierra Leone, where prices are slightly higher, cross-border trade remains hampered by logistical and regulatory barriers.

The Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) has acknowledged the growing difficulties within Lofa County’s cocoa sector. 

According to Augustine Argbah, LACRA County Coordinator, many farmers have resorted to selling wet cocoa beans instead of fermented ones to meet pressing financial needs such as school fees and construction projects, a shift that has led to reduced product quality and lower prices.

Buyers, meanwhile, cite poor road conditions and non-compliance with proper drying and fermentation procedures as additional challenges. 

“Some cocoa does not meet market standards due to inadequate processing,” one buyer said, adding that transportation from Wanhassa to Kolahun remains a major bottleneck.

LACRA’s monitoring efforts are limited by manpower shortages, with only seven staff overseeing the entire county and porous borders complicating regulatory enforcement.

Farmers and cooperatives are now urging the Ministry of Agriculture and LACRA to stabilise local prices and strengthen buyer networks. Many hope the government will facilitate direct purchases or provide financial support to sustain cocoa production in the district.

The Sebehill Cooperative, once a stabilising force in Wanhassa’s cocoa trade, is undergoing internal restructuring and capacity-building to restore its operational strength.

LACRA has since released official cocoa prices for all grades across Liberia, which are now being enforced nationwide. 

However, farmers insist that the local cocoa economy will continue to decline without stronger government intervention and improved infrastructure.

Source: laejnet

Image Credit: CNBC