Roll out policies to check cocoa price volatility - Chief tells COCOBOD

Nana Tutu Abban III, the Vice Central Regional Chief Farmer has described the drop in the world market price of cocoa as unprecedented and challenged COCOBOD to step up efforts at checking price volatility of the country’s major cash crop.

According to Nana Abban between a spates of less than a year, cocoa price has fallen by, close to 40% and called for drastic policies to be implemented to arrest the situation.

He urged the board to ensure that the subsidized fertilizers are available for farmers to access while imploring government to ensure massive improvement in the mass spraying and cocoa rehabilitation programmes.

Nana Tutu Abban III made these remarks at a farmer's rally held at Brakwa Afofosu in the Central Region.

Mr. David Asare Oduro, an officer from the Public Affairs Department, COCOBOD, used the occasion to educate farmers on the nutritional and health benefits of consuming cocoa and urged farmers to cultivate the habit for good health.

According to Mr Asare-Oduro government and COCOBOD have resolved to ensure that 50 % of cocoa produced in country is processed into several finished products to boost cocoa consumption in the country.

Mr Asare Oduro hinted that the move by government will prevent glut on the world market and reduce the risk of price volatility.

Addressing the farmers, Mr Isaac Adu, the Asamankese District Cocoa Officer disclosed that COCOBOD had rolled out and strengthened several productivity enhancing programmes to ensure that the country attains and sustains over 1 million tonnes of cocoa annually.

He cited the national hand pollination, irrigation, mass spraying, cocoa rehabilitation, subsidized fertilizers and youth in cocoa as some flagship programmes being undertaken by the Board currently.

Mr. Adu encouraged farmer associations to seize the opportunity in the subsidized fertilizer programme to open cocoa input shops in cocoa growing areas.

The rally was climaxed with a demonstration lesson on how to multiply plantain suckers for planting.