[ad_1]
Cocoa farmers in the North Western Region are excited about the increase in the producer price of cocoa from ¢ 514 per bag to ¢ 660 for the 2020/21 season.
Farmers say the 28 percent increase is an unprecedented government intervention.
President Akuffo Addo, who announced the new price in Sefwi-Wiawso on Thursday, said the increase is to reward cocoa farmers for their contribution to Ghana’s economy over the years.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that the industry receives the necessary attention and gets its fair share of the national pie.
“With this substantial increase in producer price, we are also delivering on our promise in the 2016 manifesto to reward the hard work of our cocoa farmers and their contribution to the Ghanaian economy over the decade.”
This price increase means that the price of a ton of cocoa has increased from ¢ 8,240 to ¢ 10,560.
The increase represents more than 28% from 8.42% in the 2019/2020 season.
President Akufo-Addo said the increase will take effect on Thursday, October 1.
“Let me thank all the stakeholders for their contribution, for the sustenance of the cocoa industry.”
Farmers expressed their joy and praised the ruling government for its monumental intervention.
Right after the president announced the new price for the 2020/21 season, farmers were jubilant at the good news.
“It has never happened before that a government increased the producer price of cocoa from ¢ 514 to ¢ 660. Nana Addo has really helped us; having provided us with chemicals and fertilizers to improve our performance and duplicate that kind gesture with a higher price, ”one of the cocoa farmers told JoyNews.
“We are praying for his reign to continue. We thank him, he has done well ”.
For them, the cultivation of cocoa is their only livelihood, so any government that thinks about their welfare will not be disappointed.
“We are going to offer support to Nana Addo and Dr. Afriyie to continue Sefwi’s good work,” he said.
President Nana Akuffo says his government will continue to prioritize farmers in Ghana.
The President also highlighted some COCOBOD interventions in Ghana to increase yields and improve farmers’ incomes.
He said the compensation-based approach is to help farmers cope with the loss of income during the replanting phase of diseased cocoa trees.
According to him, the cocoa bloated outbreak virus disease (CSSVD) is a major limiting factor for cocoa production in the country that is described as a national disaster.
But he said his government is continuing to seek to give cocoa the boost it deserves.
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire made an important decision in August 2018 to address the spread of CSSVD with the joint launch of a control program in Pillar 34, in the Bia West district of the North West region.
A back-to-back approach was taken to rehabilitate hectares of disease farms in both countries.
In the North Western region alone, 214,500 hectares of sick farms out of 315,899 have been earmarked for treatment.
The next phase of the program will rehabilitate 156,400 hectares of sick and dying cocoa farms across the country.
