Farmers urged to plant high yielding cocoa varieties

The Executive Director of Cocoa Health Extension Division of the Ghana COCOBOD, Dr Francis Baah, has urged cocoa farmers to plant high yielding cocoa varieties, instead of relying on aged trees with fertilizer.

Speaking at the inauguration of the ten-member Cocoa Task Force for the Nkwakwa district, Dr Baah said 60,000 cocoa seedlings will be distributed this year to cocoa farmers.

Government has step up measures to boost cocoa production through the distribution of free seedlings to cocoa farmers.

However, cocoa farms in mining areas are being destroyed by illegal miners.

According to the Chair of the Supreme Consultative Council (SCC) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Alhaji Idriss Alhassan, the cocoa sector could face a major setback if the environmental impacts caused by illegal miners is not addressed.

He said large cocoa farms are being destroyed in search for gold, calling on government to stop granting licence to small scale miners operating in cocoa growing areas.

Ghana is struggling to meet its targeted cocoa production. The country imported 15,500 tons of cocoa beans from neighbouring Ivory Coast in the 2014/2015 crop season, according to the finance minister, Seth Terkper.

Ecobank predicted cocoa production in Ghana to fall to between 730,000 and 750,000 tonnes following an outbreak of fungal black pod disease last year.