Cultivatorii de cacao din Ghana riscă până la 20 de ani de închisoare dacă încalcă o nouă lege

Ghana's new law imposes up to 20 years in prison for cocoa farmers who change farm use without government approval, sparking criticism. The legislation designates cocoa farms as protected areas, making unauthorized use a criminal offense. Farmers argue that they invest their own money and need more support from the government. The law also includes severe penalties for illegal gold mining. Cocoa exports are vital for West African economies, with Ghana's cocoa representing nearly 15% of its total export revenue. Despite recent price fluctuations, cocoa futures reached a peak of $12,000 per metric ton before dropping to around $4,000 due to oversupply.