Mpohor cocoa farmers want storage facility

Cocoa farmers in the Mpohor District have appealed to COCOBOD and the District Assembly to provide them with a storage facility or a warehouse to store their cocoa beans after drying before it is sent to the market.

This will allow resources used in transporting their produce to be ploughed back into production as well as provide substantial revenue to the farmers.

Papa Kofi Paintsil, Chairman of Amankese Boafoyene Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Limited, told B&FT in an interview at Daboase in the Mpohor District of the Western Region.

He pointed out that lack of shed facilities in the area has left cocoa beans to the vagaries of the weather, resulting in huge losses of cocoa during rainy season.

According to him, transporting the beans to nearby villages for storage is also expensive and only adds to the costs incurred by farmers.

“In spite of our high level of production, the quality of cocoa beans produced is almost always compromised -- resulting in the rejection of our beans, he said.

He pointed out that with assistance from the Business Advocacy Challenge Fund, the association is advocating for the construction of a cocoa shed, which will lead to more beans been produced.

Also, he said if the shed is constructed, it will boost local economy and reduce the unemployment rate in the area as well as contribute to poverty alleviation.