Farmers appeal for expeditious cocoa spraying exercise

Akim Oda (E/R), Nov. 25, GNA- A group of cocoa farmers at Mukyia in the Birim North District have called for the cocoa spraying exercise to be carried out in a more expeditious manner to ensure that all cocoa farms are well treated on time.

The group has appealed to the District Assembly to take the necessary steps to ensure that cocoa spraying gangs did their work well so as not to undermined government's efforts of enhancing the cocoa industry.

Speaking to the GNA at Akim Oda, Mr Kwadwo Tieku, a spokesman for the group, alleged that since the exercise started about three years ago only 'some few cocoa farms in the area have so far being treated."

He said early this year, government gave each cocoa farmer six bags of fertilizers for their cocoa farms in preparation for the spraying exercise but up till now, no cocoa farm had been sprayed.

Mr Tieku said at times, in their anxiety to have their farms sprayed on time, they were "compelled by circumstances to buy their own insecticides at 18,500 cedis a gallon but still the spraying gangs will complain about inadequate spraying machines."

He also complained about the practice whereby they have to hire a vehicle from the area to New Abirem at a cost of not less than 200,000 cedis to convey their own insecticide to the spraying gangs before their farms were sprayed.