Over a thousand lime and orange farmers at Abura Egyirkrom in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District of the Central Region are demanding huge moneys owed them by fruit juice company Pinora Limited.

Pinora, based in Asamankese is allegedly owing the farmers 100s of thousands of Ghana cedis for fruits the company credited from them.

The company owes some farmers as little as GHC300 and others up to GHC700 but has not paid them for months

The farmers told Adom News Central Regional Correspondent, Kafui Justice that Pinora’s indebtedness to them has brought untold hardship to them as most of them are unable to make ends meet.

Some of them explained that they are unable to pay the school fees of their wards, and even utility bills, to the extent that their utility supplies have been cut off. Others said they are losing respect in the eyes of their spouses.

One farmer said out of GHC700 owed to him, the company once sent an errand boy to bring him GHC50 but he refused to accept it.

Chief Farmer, Anthony Panyin said they met with two officials of Pinora earlier on Wednesday and it emerged that the company had actually advanced moneys to their representatives in the district but those reps have used the moneys for their personal business.   

The Chief of Abura-Egyirkrom, Nana Egyir the XIII expressed grave disappointment in Pinora for the way it is treating the farmers, adding that “I have even lost confidence in lime and orange farming because we are not getting any revenue from it.”

The chief said he and the other farmers have decided to destroy their farms because they have toiling for nothing.

Adom News managed to reach one official of the company who only gave his name as Seth, and he admitted to the indebtedness, adding that they have met the farmers and agreed to pay them on Monday.

Seth, who described himself as the Director of Agriculture at Pinora, refused to comment further saying that the matter was between Pinora and the farmers and not for public consumption.

“We need the farmers and they also need us and this is not a matter to be put on radio,” he said.