The Ghana COCOBOD is rolling out a number of interventions to boost Cocoa production in the country.

This follows a decline in the production of the crop over the last few years due a number of factors including over-aged cocoa trees, switching from cocoa farming to cashew and rubber PLANTATIONS by some farmers in parts of the country, among others.

The Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahene Aidoo told media in Sunyani that there is the need for adequate measures to be put in place to protect the interest of cocoa farmers and encourage more people, especially the youth, to go into cocoa farming.

“We have brought up a number of interventions to address some of the long standing challenges. Among them are disease and pests, low productivity on the farm….the industry is also being challenged by land use especially in the Western Region, it is being challenged by illegal mining. In the Brong Ahafo Region it is being challenged by the fact that farmers are switching into cashew”, he said

Mr. Boahene Aidoo was addressing the media to round off his three-day visit to the Brong Ahafo region to interact with cocoa farmers to have a better appreciation of their challenges, among others.

It formed part of his 10-day working visit to Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and the Northern Regions.

The COCOBOD CEO touched on some of the measures being put in place to shore up cocoa production.

Mr Boahene Aidoo also said about 40 percent of the current number of cocoa trees are no longer productive and must be cut down and replaced. Besides, some of the Cocoa trees have also been affected by various diseases, virtually rendering them useless.