The Wenchi Municipal Assembly, with the help of the Wenchi Traditional Council in the Bono Region, has reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with cashew-buying companies to pay rates and levies on every bag of Raw Cashew Nuts (RCNs).

This was announced during an engagement with players in the cashew value chain to help improve cashew production, marketing and transportation in the Wenchi municipality.

The stakeholder’s engagement with the Cashew Buyers Association, Processors and their agents is part of measures by the assembly to rake in more revenue.

The meeting also discussed modalities for rate payment, registration of cashew buyers and companies, calibration of cashew weighing scales and transportation arrangements between the Wenchi Cargo Transport Union and Cashew Buyers.

The engagement, chaired by the Paramount Chief of Wenchi, Osagyefo Ampem Anye Amoanpong Tabrako III, agreed that all cashew weighing scales should be calibrated and certified by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).

The stakeholders further decided that all cashew companies and allied agents shall register and acquire a business operating permit from the municipal assembly.

The cashew buying companies are also required to acquire a certificate from the Tree Crop Development Authority.

Osagyefo Tabrako, in a speech, pledged to stamp out the destruction of cashew farms by nomadic herdsmen and their cattle, which is bedevilling cashew production and the agriculture sector in the Municipality.

He indicated that the Wenchi Traditional Council is collaborating with the Wenchi Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) to flush out the nomadic herdsmen from the area.

“The traditional council and MUSEC are serious about this cattle-herdsmen issue, so we will find a way to peacefully get them removed from our land immediately to protect crops," he stated.

The Paramount Chief reiterated the need for value addition of cashew production to boost export earnings and create more jobs for the teeming in the Wenchi municipality.

He promised to provide land for the construction of cashew warehouses to create an industrial hub for cashews in the area.

The Bono East Regional Verification Officer for the GSA, Eric Akoto, explained the processes involved in calibrating weighing scales and advised RCN buyers to adhere to the standards for quality results.

The Presiding Member of the Wenchi Municipal Assembly, James Kwasi Oduro Asare, urged the purchasing companies and agents operating in the area to cooperate with the assembly for an enhanced cashew industry.

He appealed to all players in the cashew value chain to stick to the Memorandum of Understanding for the progress of the cashew sector so they can rake in more revenue for the assembly.