Twifo-Praso (C/R), July 21, GNA - The Twifo-Hemang- lower Denkyira District office of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has earmarked 55,000 hectares of cocoa farms in the area for spraying against the black pod and capsid.

Dr Samuel Hanson, the District Director of Agriculture, told the GNA in an interview that the exercise, which forms part of the government's disease and pest control programme, is to begin on the first of next month.

He said the ministry had made available 27 litres of premix fuel and 115 spraying gangs have been formed to undertake the exercise. "Due to financial constraints, the farms will be sprayed once instead of twice."

Dr Hanson said task forces were to be in charge of the inputs for the exercise to ensure that they would be used appropriately. He said last year, 85,000 hectares of cocoa farms were sprayed in the area during a similar exercise.