Vane (V/R), Sept. 7 GNA Farmers in the country have been asked to avoid employing a workforce that is not appropriate to the needs of their farms. Mr William Mintah Wiafe, Volta Regional Manager of Cocoa Swollen Shoot Viral Disease Control Unit, who made the call, said government is unhappy over the exploitation of children on farms.

He said this when addressing cocoa farmers from Amedzofe, Biakpa, Gbadzeme, Fume and Vane in the Ho Municipality.

He said even though it is imperative to transfer farming knowledge and technology to children, their education and welfare was a paramount concern for the society.

Mr Wiafe reminded the farmers that the swollen shoot, mistletoe and blackpod diseases are the main concerns for production adding that the only remedy available was through cutting down the affected trees.

He said the government's compensation packages for disease farms of GH¢ 1,843 in two tranches for a hectare remained unchanged.

He said replanting old cocoa farms with hi-tech and drought resistant seedlings, conducting mass spraying of farms and ensuring that bonuses, scholarships and the impending cocoa pension scheme are implemented on time are some of the efforts government is undertaking to ensure that farmers are well motivated.

Mr Faisal Kure, Ho District Cocoa Officer, said working unprotected with agro-chemicals, carrying loads with weight above 30 percent the weight of a child are some of the unacceptable things a child should not do on the farm.

He said bearable employments like breaking pods, fetching water, filling cocoa bags are permissible on the farms and with that the child must be given intermittent periods of respite.

Mr Augustine Essien, a representative of Quality Control Division warned farmers against preserving their produce near pollutants like smoke and other dangerous chemicals which could compromise their quality.

Mr Daniel Tetteh, Officer in-charge of Saviefe-Agorkpo Seed Production Unit, said next year the Unit would begin the production of hybrid seedlings for supply to farmers at a subsidized price.

Okusie Akyem Foli, Senior Divisional Chief of Avatime, presiding over the function said in spite of the toil of cocoa farmers, the products are rather expensive and beyond the reach of many farmers and appealed to COCOBOD to consider making them available to all.