The Central Regional Director of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Samuel Addo Agyakwa, has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to implementing policies and programmes aimed at strengthening Ghana’s cocoa sector and ensuring that farmers and the country derive maximum benefits from it.
Speaking during a visit to the Swedruman Council of Chiefs to officially introduce himself as the new Central Regional Director, Mr Addo Agyakwa said Government had released funds for the payment of cocoa beans purchased from farmers. He urged cocoa farmers who are yet to receive payment to demand it from purchasing clerks (PCs) and officials of Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs).
On cocoa pricing, he clarified that farmers who sold cocoa before the announcement of the producer price reduction should be paid the previous producer price of GH¢3,500 per bag. He explained that the adjustment was necessitated by declining international cocoa prices and was not intended to disadvantage farmers.
Mr Addo Agyakwa expressed concern over reports that some purchasing clerks and officials of Licensed Buying Companies were manipulating cocoa prices. He urged farmers to report such practices to the COCOBOD office in Agona Swedru.
The Regional Director also said Government had introduced measures to support the rehabilitation of ageing cocoa farms to improve productivity in the region.
Describing cocoa as a key pillar of Ghana’s economy, he said Government would continue to prioritise the sector to enhance its contribution to economic growth. He noted that cocoa revenue had played a significant role in financing infrastructure development, healthcare and education across the country.
Addressing concerns about the supply of agrochemicals, Mr Addo Agyakwa assured farmers that agricultural inputs would be made available, although occasional delays could occur due to importation processes. He advised farmers to purchase inputs from local markets where necessary to avoid disruptions to spraying and fertiliser application.
He also called on chiefs and cocoa farmers to support Government’s efforts to revitalise the sector in order to boost production, increase foreign exchange earnings and strengthen the economy.
On the mass cocoa spraying programme, Mr Addo Agyakwa said COCOBOD would investigate delays in the payment of spraying gangs. He noted that such delays were sometimes caused by the late submission of documentation by gang leaders.
He commended the Swedruman Council of Chiefs for its continued support for the cocoa industry and pledged that COCOBOD would maintain regular engagement with traditional authorities, chief farmers and cocoa growers to explain Government policies and programmes.
Acting President of the Swedruman Council of Chiefs, Nana Kweku Esieni V, said the Agona Swedru area was once among the leading cocoa-producing areas in the Central Region.
He appealed to Government to strengthen the mass cocoa spraying programme, citing similar interventions implemented during the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, which contributed to national cocoa production reaching about one million tonnes.
Nana Esieni also called on COCOBOD to intensify the rehabilitation of diseased and infested cocoa farms to improve yields.
He further expressed concern that the recent reduction in the producer price had discouraged some cocoa farmers and farm labourers from maintaining their farms and appealed to Government to review the producer price to restore confidence in the sector.
