The Cocoa Health Education Division (CHED) of Cocobod, has freely distributed 10 million hybrid cocoa seedlings to farmers across the Eastern Region as part of efforts to raise the crop’s production level.

The Division has targeted to supply 60 million high-yielding seedlings to cocoa growers throughout the nation during this year’s planting season.

Mr. Kwadwo Osei, Deputy Regional Manager of the Cocobod, announced this at a farmers’ rally held at Asubone-Rails, near Nkawkaw.

More than 600 farmers attended the forum, which provided the platform to discuss ways of increasing cocoa production in the area.

Mr. Osei reminded the farmers to support and cooperate with the district task force, set up to oversee the distribution of inputs – agro-chemicals and fertilizers to them.

He said the Cocobod was determined to ensure that the supply of these inputs were done in a more open, fair and transparent manner.

He advised the farmers to properly apply the agro-chemicals to achieve the intended outcomes – control the black pod and capsid diseases as well as raise crop yield.

Mr. Randy Boitey, the Regional Extension Officer of CHED, spoke of the need for them to stick to best practices, which had over the years helped the nation to maintain the quality of its cocoa beans.

This include taking the beans through proper fermentation and seeing to it that the beans were properly dried.

Mr. Sampson Osei Appiah, Kwahu West Municipal Chief Farmer, counseled his colleague farmers to cut down cocoa trees infected by the swollen shoot disease and to replace these with hybrid seedlings.

He appealed to the government to include the Kwahu Nsabaa-Asubone Rails-Akadewaso-Akoese road, which is in bad shape, under the cocoa roads rehabilitation project