Best Cocoa Farmer calls for quality production

Akim Oda, May 4, GNA - Cocoa farmers in the country have a duty, more than pleasure to help maintain Ghana's image as the producer of high quality cocoa, a municipal best farmer has said.

Mr Emmanuel Duah, Birim Central Municipal best farmer, gave the advice at Akim Oda on Sunday, when he interacted with cocoa farmers in the area.

The meeting discussed high quality production of cocoa beans, the weighing of cocoa by purchasing clerks and what they considered as deliberate refusal to pay farmers' bonuses.

Mr Duah urged his colleagues to desist from adulterating cocoa beans with foreign materials, saying they should follow the right process of harvesting, fermenting and drying of their produce.

He stated that Licensed Buying Companies should not expect only the government to offer incentives to cocoa farmers, adding that as buyers, they should also come out with incentives to "put happiness on the faces of farmers" to enable them work harder.

Mr Duah expressed worries that most of the rules and regulations governing the production and sale of cocoa beans were not being implemented and partly blamed industry regulator COCOBOD for not enforcing them.

For example, his said there is laxity in the use of Akuafo cheques, as well as the certification of weighing scales by the Ghana Standards Board.

He also expressed concerned about what he termed unnecessary deductions made by Purchasing clerks from payment to farmers, non-payment of bonuses and the deplorable conditions of roads leading to cocoa growing communities, saying they militated against farmers' interest.

Mr Duah however reassured that despite these hindrances, cocoa farmers would continue to put up their best.