Awutu Bawjiase (C/R) Dec. 14 GNA- Mr Charles Opoku, Coordinator of the Root and Tuber Improvement Programme for Greater Accra, Central and Western regions, has advised cassava farmers to harvest the crop on time to avoid post-harvest losses.

Mr Opoku who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), at Awutu Penim near Awutu Bawjiase, on Monday said early harvest of the high starch yielding cassava, produced mainly for the Bawjiase Cassava Starch Factory under the President's Special Initiative on Cassava, protects the crop from losing its economic value.

Investigations carried out by GNA revealed that most cassava farmers are refusing to harvest their crops in anticipation of high prices from the factory, leading to a decline in the starch content of tuber crop.

The farmers claim the current prices they receive from the factory did not meet the cost of production.

Meanwhile the Crop Science Department of the University of Cape Coast will from February 2005, release two new hybrid cassava varieties that have high starch quality contents and suitable for the popular Ghanaian dish, fufu.