Ofoase (Eastern Region), 1 March. '99,

The Federation Commodities Limited (FEDCO) a private cocoa buying company has launched its linkage package programme to enable farmers who sell to them to increase their output. Under the programme, FEDCO will provide farmers with inputs such as DDT insecticides, cutlasses and Wellington boots at their doorsteps at moderate prices. In this connection, 18 best farmers of the company were presented with cutlasses, exercise books and Wellington boots worth four million cedis. The managing director of FEDCO, Nana Addade Boamah, who announced this at a farmers forum to launch the programme at Ofoase in the Birim North district Friday said the company, which started its operations a year ago has made significant achievement in the cocoa industry. He said FEDCO had purchased 26,049.04 tonnes of cocoa nation wide as at February 18 this year of which the eastern sector had contributed 11.5 per cent. The managing director commended the government for the participation of the private companies in the buying of cocoa, which he said, has improved the country's economy. On the distribution of COCOBOD scholarship application forms, Nana Addade regretted that although all farmers are to benefit from it, officials of COCOBOD are discriminating against farmers of private companies. He urged district assemblies not to impose arbitrary levies on local cocoa buying companies, which operate in their area but should invite them for discussion of such matters. The district chief executive for the area, Mr Prince Danso pledged the commitment of the government to continue to better the lots of the farmers and stressed on the need for Ghanaians to create a culture of responsibility. Mr Danso said the assembly has set up an environmental task force to check pollution of rivers and streams in the area while it has also mobilised 100 people for its "Youth in Agriculture" programme.