Cocoa farmers complain of cheating

Members of Asutifi District Farmers Network have appealed to the government to investigate the alleged manipulation of weighing scales for cocoa by purchasing clerks.

They observed that in spite of government’s effort in protecting cocoa farmers from being cheated some purchasing clerks are still using unauthorised means to do so.

Mr Eric Osafo Asuako, President of the Network, who addressed a news conference in Sunyani on Wednesday said after a number of complaints, executives of the Network embarked on a tour to investigate the issue.

He said the stones imported by the government at a huge cost to save the farmers from being cheated are not being utilised.

He explained that six of the stones weigh 60 kilogram’s and the weight of four empty cocoa sacks is equivalent to four kilogram’s ,therefore government’s approved weight for a bag of cocoa is 64 kilogram’s.

Mr Asuako called for the arrest of purchasing clerks engaged in such fraudulent practice. He suggested the need for farmers to be well educated on the procedure to become familiar with the use of the stones to be able to check the nefarious activities of some purchasing clerks.

He urged cocoa buying companies to intensify their monitoring in the communities to ensure that purchasing clerks adhere to the approved weighing scales. The Network was established to advocate good agricultural policies and improved services for farmers in the Asutifi North and Asutifi South Districts.