2017 budget not enough to supply free fertilisers to cocoa farmers: Minister

Portia Arthur

June 25, 2017 4:31 AM

He said any move to continue with the free distribution of fertilisers to cocoa farmers will hurt revenue from the sale of cocoa beans.

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The Deputy Minster of Agriculture, William Quaitoo, has said the 2017 budget is not enough to support free distribution of fertilisers to cocoa farmers.

Addressing a press conference to counter claims by the Minority that the government was being insensitive to the plight of cocoa farmers, Mr Quaitoo also ruled out any increase in cocoa prices for farmers.

He said: "The budget is simply not large enough to buy fertilizer to meet every farmer’s needs. It is not possible, else we will lose all our revenue from the sales.”

“We don’t see how the prices can be increase in the coming year when we are borrowing money to sustain the current price.”he added.

The minority last Wednesday slammed the government for refusing to increase the producer price of cocoa, saying the cocoa stabilization levy should be used for that purpose.

But Mr William pushed back hard on that saying "stabilisation is stabilisation."

"It is to stabilize the price at that current state. It is not meant to increase it. Who can tell what will happen tomorrow? The price is still dipping.”

He further stressed: "So why do you increase prices when you cannot meet it… We don’t see how the prices can be increased in the coming year when we are borrowing money to sustain the current price.”

Portia Arthur