Kyempo (Ash), May 22, GNA - Cocoa Farmers have been urged to spray their farms four times annually to ensure effective control of diseases and also to increase yield.

Mr. Samuel Edmond Bisiw, Ashanti Regional Manager of Quality Control Division of COCOBOD, said currently, government sprays cocoa farms twice yearly under the mass cocoa spraying exercise at no cost to the farmer.

"It is therefore incumbent on cocoa farmers to complement government's effort by spraying additional two on their own to ensure quality cocoa production to meet international standard," he said at a rally to sensitize cocoa farmers on the need to produce quality cocoa at Kyempo, near Obogu, in the Asante Akim South District on Tuesday. Mr Bisiw observed that cocoa farmers were major players in the cocoa industry hence giving them training was a pre-requisite to ensuring quality cocoa production.

The Regional Manager urged them to use chemicals approved by COCOBOD and also adhere to proper fermentation practices to avert the possibility of their cocoa being rejected. Mr Bisiw disclosed that Kyempo was adjudged as the highest cocoa producer in the district during the last cocoa season and urged them to keep it up.

Mr Joseph Kodua, District Manager of Quality Control implored the farmers to desist from exploiting children on their cocoa farms and rather enrol them in school. He said the children were the future of the farmers hence engaging them in their farms at the expense of their education would be to their detriment. 22 May 08