Cocoa farmers hail gov’t decision to subsidize fertilizer

Cocoa farmers have hailed the decision by the government to subsidize fertilizer stressing that it will help in ensuring that they get the right quality and quantity for their businesses.
They said the previous policy by the former administration to provide fertilizer free of charge, did not help them since many farmers did not get the right quantities needed.
It followed an announcement by Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo to the effect that, the government has, as part of strategies to increase cocoa yield, decided to subsidize fertilizer supply and also embark on a mass cocoa spraying exercise for the 2017/2018 crop season.
Mr. Boahen Aidoo made the announcement at a meeting of Regional and District Farmers in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region Thursday, July 6, 2017,
“Almost 50% of our colleagues were not receiving the fertilizers because they were being diverted to other areas,” an excited farmer stated.
The meeting was to discuss issues of subsidy on fertilizers and the fall in the price of cocoa.
COCOBOD’s challenges
Meanwhile, National Chief Cocoa Farmer, Alhaji Alhassan Bukari has advised cocoa farmers to take keen interest in activities of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and be better informed instead of relying on what politicians tell them.
A recent announcement by Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo said that government has decided not to increase producer price for cocoa for 2017/2018 crop season, took a political twist when the Minority group in Parliament, issued a statement describing the move as insensitive.
COCOBOD in a response, however, explained that the decision was reached by the Producer Price Review Committee following the sharp fall in the world market price of the produce to a 10-year low.
Current average cocoa prices reflect a drop of around 30 percent compared to mid-2016.
But COCOBOD stated in a statement: “The producer price of Gh¢7,600.00 per tonne of cocoa announced at the beginning of the 2016/2017 crop season has not, and will not be reviewed downwards as being speculated, despite the fall in the world price of cocoa from overUS$3,122 per tonne in June, 2016 to as low as US$1,900 in June, 2017.”

File photo: A group of cocoa farmers
Chief Farmer, Alhaji Bukari said they as farmers, understand the challenges facing COCOBOD making it difficult for it to increase the producer price.
Alhaji Bukari, therefore, called on the farmers to rally behind COCOBOD for it to continue to provide the needed support to boost cultivation of the cash crop.
The main objective of Ghana Cocoa Board is to encourage the production, processing and marketing of cocoa, coffee and sheanut.
He said as farmers, they will continue to support the government irrespective of the political party in charge, but would not allow partisan politics to be introduced into their activities.

Source:Myjoyonline