NEW TAFO, Ghana (PANA) - About one-quarter of Ghana's cocoa growing area is infected with the devastating black pod disease.

This development can result in about 60 to 100 percent loses in cocoa yield if immediate steps are not taken to control the disease. A plant pathologist at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana at New Tafo, in the Eastern Region, Andrew Akrofi, disclosed this to a six-member South African Parliamentary delegation on a fact-finding mission in Ghana.

Some of the affected areas are Akomanda in the Ashanti Region, Bechem in the Brong Ahafo and the Juabeso Bia and its surrounding areas in the Western region where the bulk of Ghana cocoa is being produced.

Ghana is the world's second largest producer of cocoa after Cote d'Ivoire. The commodity is the country's largest export earner.

The delegation, which comprised members of Gauteng Provincial Legislature, is in the country to explore small-scale agriculture for a comprehensive trade agreement between the two countries.

Members of the delegation are experts in agriculture, land conservation, environment and land management.

Akrofi said the institute is developing a cocoa breed, which is disease- resistant and has intrinsic genetic properties, adding: "We are a few years near achieving this objective."

He said cultural farming methods, such as good farm husbandry practices and the application of fungicides are being employed to arrest the spread of the disease.

The institute's officer in-charge of new products, Dr Osei Amanin, said currently only 18 percent of cocoa by-products was being utilised. He added that the institute "had set in motion programmes to produce other by-products such as soap, cream, wine and gin from cocoa."