Concerned cocoa farmers operating in the forest reserves of Idanre and Akure, Ondo State, have protested against the newly proposed Forest Farming Policy introduced by the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa administration.
Their protest was contained in a letter dated October 30, 2025, signed by their counsel, Prof. Olugbenga Oke-Samuel, Principal Partner of Lawville Legal Practice, Akure, and obtained by The Nation yesterday.
It was gathered that under the proposed policy, farmers cultivating cocoa within forest areas were required to pay N250,000 per hectare, comprising N150,000 for polygon mapping and N100,000 for agro-forestry, with a five-year farming permit.
The initiative, according to government officials, was introduced in line with the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
However, the aggrieved farmers described the new charges as “unreasonably high, discriminatory and financially burdensome,” warning that the policy could cripple cocoa production and push thousands of smallholder farmers into economic hardship.
They noted that the policy came at a time the cocoa market was already under severe stress, with prices reportedly plunging from N14,000 to N6,000 per kilogramme.
The farmers also complained that the Ministry of Agriculture recently raised cocoa grading fee from N11,000 per tonne to a rate that translated to N22,000 per kilogramme – amounting to about N660,000 per trailer of cocoa.
“Our members are smallholders. They are being asked to shoulder costs that even big investors will struggle with,” the petition read.
The farmers reminded the government that they already paid N20,000 per hectare under the existing arrangement, saying it was their commitment to environmental compliance using the forest.
They questioned why the state could not subsidise the mapping exercise, pointing out that exporters currently conduct mapping for free in non-forest communities and sometimes provide incentives to farmers.
“The N100,000 levy for tree planting is excessive. A measure of seeds capable of producing 1,000 trees costs only N5,000. This raises concerns about the fairness and transparency of the Agro-Forestry component,” the letter read.
The farmers further alleged disparity in treatment, noting that while smallholders were restricted to five-year permits, large-scale investors enjoyed long-term leases at significantly lower costs per hectare.
They cited examples such as: JB Farms Ltd (Ore-Otutule Forest Reserve) – 14,000 hectares, 50-year permit, N50 million annually (N3,572/ha), SAO Agro Ltd – 10,000 hectares, 80-year permit, N20 million annually (N2,000/ha) and Tropic Palm Oil Ltd (Ute Owo Forest Reserve) – 14,000 hectares, 40-year permit, N30 million annually (N2,150/ha)
“Cocoa trees have a productive lifespan of over 40 years. It is unjust to restrict indigenous farmers – many of whom were previously unemployed – to a five-year permit while granting investors decades-long access,” the letter stated.
The farmers pleaded with Aiyedatiwa to review the N250,000 levy per hectare and extend the permit duration to at least 50 years to enable them benefit from their long-term investments.
They, however, called for a review of agro-forestry charges to reflect actual market costs of tree planting and demanded government subsidy for polygon mapping to aid compliance with the EUDR.
“Your Excellency, our clients believe in your commitment to equity, sustainability, and inclusive development. We trust that you will consider their plight and act in the interest of fairness and economic justice,” it added.
