Association of cocoa, shea and coffee urged to work with MOFA

Sunyani (B/A), Oct. 6, GNA - Mr Samuel Yaw Kwarteng, Sunyani Municip= al Director of Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), has advised the Sunyan= i Municipal Cocoa, Coffee and Shea-nut farmers Association to collaborate wit= h the Ministry to help to improve the lot of farmers.

Mr. Kwarteng was speaking at the inauguration of newly-elected executive members of the Association in Sunyani on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by about 100 cocoa farmers and supervisors of spraying gangs from Atronie, Shed One and Two, Wawasua, Nsagobesa, Benunkwanta, Abesim and Sunyani. Also present were representatives of private cocoa buying agencies as Akuafo Adanfo and Amarjaro. Mr. Kwarteng cautioned the farmers against acts that could undermine the administration of the new officers and told them to be bold and in good faith pointed out faults they might see. He advised the spraying gangs to work hard and to use the spraying insecticides for the purpose for which they were supplied in the interest o= f the cocoa sub-sector.

Mrs. Faustina Aberor, Berekum District Cocoa Officer, urged the farmer= s to channel all their grievances to the Association's leadership through their chief farmers. Nana Kwaku Korsah, Produce Buying Company (PBC) District Chief Farmer for Sunyani, pledged support for the farmers in the Municipality and urged them to form at least 15 groups to qualify for government spraying machines= .. At a forum, the farmers complained of inadequate supply of insecticide= s such as Confidor, fertilizer and appealed to the authorities to help so the farmers could derive maximum benefits from their toils. Mr. Solomon Kwarteng, PBC Sunyani District Manager said his administration covered Techiman, Berekum, Nsoatre, Duayaw-Nkwanta, Yamfo an= d Bomaa.

He advised the newly-elected chief farmer for Sunyani, Opanin Kofi Mfu= m to co-operate with the farmers for better administration. The PBC District Manager urged the farmers to ensure that they sold their produce with passbooks to determine the number of cocoa bought in a particular district. Other elected executive members were Mr. Asiedu Amponsah, former auditor, Vice Chief Farmer, Mr. Elvis Amankwah Tawiah, Secretary, Opanin Isaiah Addai, Treasurer and Opanin Augustine Kwaku Enning, Public Relations Officer. The rest were Mr. Osei Boakye of Amajaro, Mr. Johnson Okrah, representative of Akuafo Adamfo, Opanin Kwame Kumah, 93Shed One", Sunyan= i and Opanin Kofi Donkor, also of Sunyani. 6 Oct. 11