Ghana's cocoa production more than doubled within eight years

Koforidua June 26, GNA - Mr Isaac Osei, Chief Executive of COCOBOD, on Thursday said the country's cocoa production shot up from 300,000 tons to over 700,000 tons within eight years.

He said this was achieved as a result of implementation of good policies and it is expected that by 2010 cocoa production will reach one million tons a year.

Mr Osei said this when he launched the 70th anniversary celebration of Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) in Koforidua. He said backed by harmonious policies from government and COCOBOD a lot of scientific research results had gone into comprehensive programmes such as COPAPEC and High-tech leading to good results in the cocoa industry.

Mr Osei reminded CRIG of the special role they are expected to play for the attainment of the one million target set by the COCOBOD. He expressed optimism that CRIG would continue to propel the growth of the economy through provision of tried and tested technologies for farmers to maximize their yield.

Mr Kwadwo Baah Owiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, appealed in a speech read on his behalf that CRIG should take up the challenge and work hard to improve the quality of cocoa to enable the country's cocoa to enjoy even a much better premium.

He urged the institute to let farmers have better understanding of the use of pesticides and fertilizers and adopt recommended agronomic, fermentation and drying practices to meet the quality expected by the markets.

Mr Baah Owiredu said the country is faced with the problem of pesticides residues, polycyclic aromatic hydro carbons contained in beans drying on the tarmac or over wood fires which apparently are harmful to human health.

He said there was also the question of Ochratoxin in cocoa beans with its potentially carcinogenic effect adding that more research development and education was required to reduce to the barest minimum the effects of those factors.

Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister, in a speech read for him said he foresaw further development of CRIC into a world class research institute in all aspects of its mandate crops.

Dr Y. Adu Ampomah, Executive Director, CRIG said the vision of the institute is that by 2010 the Ghana cocoa industry and that of the other mandated crops would be research-driven and commercially viable. "At least 1,000,000 tones of cocoa will be produced annually, of which, at least, 40 percent will be processed in Ghana".