Nana Alhaji Alhassan Bukari, National Chief Farmer for Cocoa Coffee Shea-nut Association, has urged farmers in the industry to ensure that their produce are weighed to avoid being cheated.

Nana Alhaji Bukari gave the advice at a rally held at Assin Bereku in the Central Region, initiated by Nana Kwesi Ofori, Central Regional Cocoa Chief Farmer to school the farmers on modern farming practice to improve cocoa yields.

He asked the farmers to report any purchasing clerk who refuse to use the approved weighing scale and test-stone to the security agencies.

Nana Alhaji Bukari urged the farmers to practice guidelines given by extension officers to expand their farms for bumper harvest to earn more money.

He appealed to chiefs to release lands for agricultural purposes rather than small scale mining (galamsey) activities.

He said the galamsey activities is not only degrading lands but also affecting the livelihoods of the people.

Nana Kwesi Ofori, Regional Chief Cocoa Farmer appealed to the government to rehabilitate cocoa roads in the area, which are badly damaged for free movements of goods and service.

He said bad roads is a major challenge facing farmers in transporting cocoa beans from the farm gate to their homes for drying.

Mr Bernard Brown, Regional Manager of the Cocoa Health Extension announced that Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has raised 50 million cocoa seedlings to be distributed to farmers nationwide free of charge.

He said out of the figure, his outfit had raised one million seed while Seed Production Unite in the Region would raise 2.2 million seeds to be distributed to registered farmers.

Mr Brown urged the farmers to apply approved and recommended fertilizers properly as would be directed by the extension officers on the cocoa in order to produce more good yields.

Mr Arndo Mensa-Bonsu, Deputy Director, Scholarship Unit of the COOBOD announced that a total of 3,000 scholarship slot has been released for children of qualified cocoa farmers.

He called on the District Cocoa Chief Farmers in the Region to help their members to have access to the scholarship, especially when filling the forms, which are given out free of charge.