The black pod disease has attacked large hectares of cocoa farms in the Adansi West district of Ashanti, Nana Abankwa Ababio, District Chief Cocoa Farmer, has revealed.
Speaking to the GNA at Obuasi at the weekend, he said about 12 hectares of his own farm have been affected by the disease.
"Visits to most cocoa farms at Grumesa, Mpirekyire, Mensonso and other areas confirm that the black pod disease is prevalent in the district this season," Nana Ababio said.
He therefore welcomed the government's mass spraying exercise saying: "This will hopefully go a long way to assist farmers to get some yields between December and April."
Nana Ababio, who is also the Sikamanhene, however advised the farmers to assist in the exercise by regularly maintaining their farms through weeding and pruning and appealed to the government to start the spraying exercise in good time.
Meanwhile, Nana Kwae Pensae II, Kusahene, has expressed concern about the spread of the black pod disease in the Kusa area.
Speaking at a durbar organised for the Adansi West District Chief Executive, Mr Joe Boampong, he called for a research into the problems as to why cocoa farms in the area were always attacked by the disease "from this time (October) to December".
The DCE urged farmers in the district to co-operate with the spraying gangs to ensure the success.
