Cocoa growing district to set up task force against smugglers

Jasikan (V/R), Nov 29, GNA - A taskforce is to be instituted among stakeholders in the main cocoa growing districts in the Volta region to clampdown on activities of cocoa smugglers and their collaborators across the country's eastern frontier with Togo.

The target areas are Jasikan, Hohoe and Kadjebi districts. Mr Solomon Kwame Donkor, Jasikan District Chief Executive (DCE) who announced this said smuggling of cocoa along the eastern frontier was increasing and urged people living in the area to help combat the crime. Mr Donkor said this at the seventh annual cocoa farmers' and workers awards celebration at Jasikan. It was under the theme, "Produce Buying Company (PBC) and the Cocoa Farmer: A Better Future". He mentioned the debilitating effect of embezzlement of resources meant for the purchase of cocoa by clerks of PBC whose action were often times blamed on government for non-performance and urged stakeholders to stamp out all negative tendencies, warning that the task force would not spare anybody.

The DCE said government was supporting the cocoa industry with interventions like the mass spraying exercise; rehabilitation of farms, consistent guaranteed pricing, scholarship schemes all targeted at boosting production.

Mr Donkor however said while cocoa production shot up to over 700,000 tons from below 400,000 tons in 2000, the region's fortune continue to dwindle.

Mr Anthony Osei Boakye, Managing Director of PBC said the Board and Management had concluded plans to sponsor the drilling of a number of boreholes fitted with hand pumps from the 2008/2009 main cocoa crop season in distressed areas as part of its social responsibility pact to the communities.

He said PBC would diversify into the internal and external sheanut trade and operates basically in the three northern regions of Upper West, Northern and Upper East while revamping its haulage units aimed at repositioning the Company on a sound economic footing. Mr Boakye said these efforts are geared towards the rebirth of the Company for new relationship, partnership and a guaranteed future. He commended faithful and loyal cocoa farmers for their hard work and support for the economy.

Mr Prosper Zagbla, Volta Regional Principal Marketing Officer of PBC, announced that production figures continue to dwindle, falling from over 37,000 bags in 2000 to below 12,000 bags in 2006 adding that some cocoa farms which benefited from the government's interventions failed to produce a single bean.

He said smuggling of the commodity was a booming business across Ghana's eastern frontier with Togo with buying agents from that country patronizing even wet beans due to the price differentials. Nana Adjei Kramo I, Regional Cocoa, Coffee and Sheanut Chief Farmer, who presided, appealed to his compatriots to redouble their efforts at stemming the cocoa smuggling menace. He also called on government to review its position on haulage of seedlings to farms and cost per seedling.

Meanwhile, Mr H. Y. Gyambibi of Asato-Gyamonome and Mr Nathaniel Atsu of Nayi Kope were adjudged the Volta Regional and District Best Cocoa farmers with nine cocoa societies and other individuals including Mr Philemon Ankah winning the Best District PBC Senior Officer prize. They received prizes ranging from 21 inch Colour Television, cookware, cloth, and Wellington boots, standing fan, cutlasses and plaques.