By Awyetu Asabe Hope
Cocoa farmers in Taraba State are facing mounting losses following a sharp drop in prices and a near absence of buyers, raising concerns over the viability of the crop this season.
The crisis is affecting major cocoa-producing areas, including Takum, Donga, Ussa, Kurmi and Gashaka local government areas, with Kurmi hosting the highest concentration of farmers.
Many growers say the downturn has come as a shock after several years of favourable prices that encouraged expansion and drew new entrants into cocoa farming.
Market checks show that a bag of cocoa beans, which sold for between ₦900,000 and ₦1.2 million last year, has plunged to between ₦250,000 and ₦280,000.
The steep decline has left farmers struggling to recover production costs, with large quantities of produce now stockpiled in homes due to a lack of buyers
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Farmers say middlemen—mainly from the South-East and South-West—who previously dominated the market have largely disappeared, leaving them uncertain about where to sell their produce.
The situation, they warn, could discourage further investment in cocoa farming despite the state’s strong production potential.
Some stakeholders also fear the downturn could affect emerging interest in the sector, including land acquisitions by prospective investors.
Officials attribute the development partly to regulatory measures by the European Union, a major destination for Nigerian cocoa exports, alongside broader market challenges.
