Cut old cocoa plants and go for free seedlings - Mahama

President John Mahama has advised cocoa farmers in the country to cut down their old cocoa trees and go for free seedlings for replanting.

The president explained the old plants do not give the farmers enough yields which in turn affect production of cocoa in Ghana.

President Mahama believes government’s investments in the cocoa sector will soon payoff with increased yields.

Addressing a mini rally at Ahomahomaso in the Fanteakwa North constituency of the Eastern region on the second day of his tour of the region, Mahama assured cocoa farmers of continuous support under his government.

“If you are a cocoa farmer and your cocoa plants are old, cut them down and go for free seedlings for replanting. The old cocoa plants do not give good yields. So cut the old trees down and go for the hybrid free seedlings, you will start reaping the benefit in less than four years. We assure cocoa farmers government is solidly behind them,” Mahama told the crowd.

He added: “We are also giving out free cocoa inputs like fertilizers. This is the first time this is happening. Hitherto the cocoa inputs were only subsidized for the farmers. But this time around government is making them available to the farmers completely free.”

Ghana is currently the number two leading producer of cocoa in the world. Sometime back the country was able to overtake Cote D’Ivoire as the leading producer of the cash crop only to eventually surrender it again.