Farmers in Cameroon's Mbam-et-Kim region are raising the alarm and calling on authorities to take action as rising cocoa prices driven by a global shortage have led to a surge in theft.

Footage captured in the village of Ntui shows growers harvesting cocoa beans at a local plantation and placing amulets on trees, hoping to cast a spell on 'bandits' and drive them away from their farm.

Cocoa producer Akolo Nogo Emmanuel says the recent spike in theft is unprecedented, claiming local police are not doing enough to deter would-be criminals.

"We've never seen anything like it before, to the point where you're being robbed night and day. Yes, we're experiencing losses, and that's creating problems in terms of paying the workers in the fields," Emmanuel said.

"We have a problem with the police. For example, sometimes we catch thieves, and we think we've taken them to the gendarmerie, but after a day or two, you see the same person again in the village. This means that he will just do the same thing every time. And that's discouraging," he continued.

The cocoa farmer also called on fellow producers to 'not give up' and 'go on the attack' to counter thefts on plantations in the region using 'every possible means.'

"I've already seen cases in other regions where if a thief is caught, we punish him severely. And if others are caught by the amulets, they must suffer the consequences they deserve," he added.

According to local reports, the surge in prices in Cameroon stems from adverse weather conditions and plant diseases at plantations in cocoa-growing powerhouses such as the Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Meanwhile, crops in Cameroon have reportedly tripled over the past year as buyers look to its de-regulated economy to meet growing global demand.