Cocoa farmers in Ondo State have written to the state government, protesting a new Forest Farming Policy that they say threatens their livelihoods. The farmers, operating in the forest reserves of Idanre and Akure, described the policy as unfair and financially burdensome for smallholders.
Their protest was detailed in a letter dated October 30, 2025, signed by their legal counsel, Prof. Olugbenga Oke-Samuel of Lawville Legal Practice, Akure. The letter, obtained, criticized the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa administration’s policy, which mandates cocoa farmers in forest areas to pay N250,000 per hectare for a five-year permit. The amount includes N150,000 for polygon mapping and N100,000 for agro-forestry, in line with the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The farmers said the new levy comes at a difficult time, as cocoa prices have reportedly dropped from N14,000 to N6,000 per kilogramme, and the Ministry of Agriculture recently increased cocoa grading fees from N11,000 per tonne to an equivalent of N22,000 per kilogramme, about N660,000 per trailer.
“Our members are smallholders. They are being asked to shoulder costs that even big investors will struggle with,” the farmers said in the petition.
They explained that under the existing system, they already pay N20,000 per hectare as a commitment to environmental compliance. The farmers questioned why the government could not subsidise polygon mapping, especially since exporters in non-forest communities currently conduct mapping for free and even offer incentives to farmers.
They also described the N100,000 agro-forestry levy as unreasonable, noting that seeds for 1,000 trees cost about N5,000. This, they argued, raises questions about fairness and transparency in the policy’s implementation.
The farmers further alleged discrimination in the government’s approach, pointing out that while smallholders are limited to five-year permits, large-scale investors enjoy much longer leases at significantly cheaper rates. They cited examples such as JB Farms Ltd with a 50-year permit for 14,000 hectares at N3,572 per hectare annually, SAO Agro Ltd with an 80-year permit for 10,000 hectares at N2,000 per hectare, and Tropic Palm Oil Ltd with a 40-year permit for 14,000 hectares at N2,150 per hectare.
They argued that cocoa trees have a productive lifespan of over 40 years and described it as unjust to grant small farmers only five-year permits while allowing investors decades-long access. The farmers appealed to the state government to review the N250,000 per hectare charge and extend their permit duration to at least 50 years.
They also called for the agro-forestry charges to reflect the real market cost of tree planting and urged the government to subsidise mapping exercises to help farmers comply 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,” the letter concluded.
