Jinijini: Dr Ransford Abbey, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has applauded the pivotal role that farmers play in advancing the nation’s cocoa sector. He emphasized the government’s commitment to implementing supportive measures that will enable farmers to expand their cocoa farms, enhance the quality of cocoa beans, and improve their socio-economic conditions.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Abbey announced plans for the government to distribute essential agro-chemicals and farm inputs, such as fertilizers, machinery, and equipment, to cocoa farmers across the country. This initiative aims to prepare farmers for the anticipated increase in cocoa prices in the 2025/2026 season. Dr Abbey made these remarks during an interaction with cocoa farmers in Jinijini, located in the Berekum West District of the Bono Region, as part of his tour of cocoa-growing communities in the Bono and Ahafo Regions.
Dr Abbey expressed optimism that with government support, cocoa farmers would be able to produce high-quality beans, thereby securing better prices for their produce. His sentiments were echoed by Mr Dickson Kyere Duah, the Member of Parliament for Berekum West Constituency, who praised Dr Abbey for his dedication to improving the country’s cocoa sector.
Meanwhile, Mr Augustine Nyarko, acting as the spokesperson for the cocoa farmers, urged Dr Abbey to expedite the implementation of the Cocoa Farmers’ Pension scheme, which was introduced by the previous administration. He also called for an expansion of COCOBOD’s scholarship scheme to benefit more farmers and advocated for enhanced value addition to cocoa beans and pods to further strengthen the cocoa value chain.
