COCOBOD asked to roll out prudent policies

Nana Tutu Abban III, the Vice Central Regional Chief Farmer, has challenged COCOBOD to step up efforts at checking price volatility of the country’s major cash crop. 

According to Nana Abban III in less than a year, cocoa price has fallen by close to 40 per cent and called for drastic policies to be implemented to arrest the situation. 

Nana Tutu Abban III who made these remarks at a farmer’s rally held at Brakwa Afofosu in the Central Region, urged the board to ensure that the subsidised fertilisers were available for farmers to access while imploring government to ensure massive improvement in the mass spraying and cocoa rehabilitation programmes.
Mr. David Asare Oduro, a Public Affairs Officer, COCOBOD, educated farmers on the nutritional and health benefits of consuming cocoa and urged farmers to cultivate the habit for good health.

According to Mr Asare Oduro, government and COCOBOD have resolved to ensure that 50 per cent of cocoa produced in the country was processed into finished products to boost cocoa consumption in the country.

Mr Asare Oduro hinted that the move by government would prevent glut on the world market and reduce the risk of price volatility.

Addressing the farmers, Mr Isaac Adu, the Asamankese District Cocoa Officer, disclosed that COCOBOD had rolled out and strengthened several productivity enhancing programmes to ensure that the country attained and sustained over 1 million tonnes of cocoa annually. 

He cited the national hand pollination, irrigation, mass spraying, cocoa rehabilitation, subsidized fertilizers and youth in cocoa as some flagship programmes being undertaken by the Board currently.

Mr Adu encouraged farmer associations to seize the opportunity in the subsidised fertiliser programme to open cocoa input shops in cocoa growing areas.

The rally was climaxed with a demonstration on how to multiply plantain suckers for planting.

Source: GNA