By Alex Baah Boadi
Sefwi-Bekwai (WN/R), Sept. 14, GNA – Some cocoa farmers within the Western North Region have commended the government and Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for the recent record increase in the producer price of cocoa.
Speaking at a press conference in Sefwi-Bekwai, Nana Kwame Obiyeden, the Sefwi-Bekwai District Chief Farmer, on behalf of the cocoa farmers said, they welcomed the new producer price and commended the government and COCOBOD for the initiative.
He said he had never seen such a price increase in his 30 years as a cocoa farmer and lauded the cocoa rehabilitation and pruning programme introduced by COCOBOD, which he noted, was yielding positive results in the area.
He acknowledged the efforts by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and COCOBOD, for the present achievement for cocoa farmers, saying “we are happy for the new producer price of cocoa.”
Nana Obiyeden asked farmers, especially those whose cocoa trees were cut because of the rehabilitation exercise, to be motivated by the new price and continue to maintain their farms since there might be a higher price in the next season.
He also advised the teeming youth to go into cocoa production and avoid partisan politics to have a secure future.
“We are cocoa farmers and every government that will increase cocoa price and make farming attractive will be commended,” he said.
Mr Kwasi Jaison Surano, another Chief Farmer, expressed satisfaction of the new price and was optimistic that it would discourage farmers and others involved in the cocoa smuggling chain to neighboring Ivory Coast to stop.
He was hopeful that COCOBOD would meet its target, as the new price would motivate cocoa farmers to work harder.
Madam Veronica Mintah, a member of the Youth in Cocoa farming, thanked the government and COCOBOD for what they had done for cocoa farmers and appealed for increased support for the youth who were willing to go into cocoa farming.
She said that would help to sustain cocoa production in the country and advised farmers to take farming as a serious business and invest in it.
In a related development, Mr Bismark Fuakyie, the 2022 National best cocoa farmer, who hails from Sefwi-Asafo in the Wiawso Municipality of the Western North Region in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the new price was the highest producer price ever in the history of Ghana.
He said he believed that the present price would help reduce the practice of smuggling of cocoa beans in the Western North Region, which shared boundaries with Ivory Coast.
GNA