STORY: This 65 year-old farmer in Ghana delivered six bags of cocoa beans to be sold months ago, but is still waiting for payment from the country's regulator.
"For about 3 weeks now, I eat once a day to be honest with you. Things are very difficult for me."
Joseph Bermah Dautey is among thousands of farmers in the country struggling financially as thousands of tons of unsold beans pile up.
"As a retired teacher, or a pensioner, how much do I take as a pensioner to be able to take care of my children in school and myself? It has affected my life so much that I cannot even describe it."
Ghana is the world's second-biggest cocoa producer behind the Ivory Coast.
Global cocoa demand has fallen sharply, sending prices down by half over the course of a year to around $4,000 a metric ton.
Ghana's farmgate price is higher, at nearly $5,300 a metric ton, which has depressed demand from international traders, leaving farmers unpaid.
The market regulator said last week it has about 50,000 metric tons of unsold cocoa at ports, adding that it is in talks with farmers and the Finance Ministry to try to resolve the situation.
Cocoa can be stored for only 6-12 months before losing quality in hot, humid countries.
A coalition of farmers in Ghana said it was willing to accept lower prices for future deliveries if the government agrees to sign a memorandum of understanding linking farmgate rates to international market prices going forward.
