Kumasi, Oct. 26, GNA - Cocoa farmers in Ashanti have commended the Kufuor administration for the payment of cocoa bonus and the decision to maintain the producer price of the crop notwithstanding the fall on the world market.

They said, "we have every reason to be grateful to the government for its consistent show of good faith and demonstration of genuine commitment to our welfare.

We are hopeful that it would continue to be more supportive of the Ghanaian farmer by sustaining its various interventions at making farming attractive and rewarding".

This was at a meeting of the Ashanti branch of the Ghana Cocoa, Coffee and Sheanut Farmers Association (GCCSFA) held in Kumasi on Monday.

All regional executives of the association and District Chief and Queen farmers attended it from all the 19 cocoa districts in the region. Nana Kwame Amankwatia, the Regional Chief Farmer, who presided, asked farmers who had benefited from the credit sale of the cocoa hi-tech fertilisers to ensure that they paid back on time.

This, he said, was necessary to enable the facility to be extended to more farmers and help raise the per hectare yield of the crop in the country.

The Regional Chief Farmer also told his colleagues to insist on the use of the Akuafo Cheque to cover all cocoa purchases made by the Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs).

Nana Amankwatia warned that the Association would not hesitate to demand the application of punitive sanctions against LBCs that flout the Akuafo system.