Transact business only with licensed cocoa buying companies

Mankranso (Ash), Jan 28, GNA- Nana Kwabena Adu, Chairman of the newly-formed Ahafo-Ano South Best Cocoa Farmers Association, has asked cocoa farmers to sell their produce to only licensed buying companies to forestall their being cheated.

He also asked the farmers to insist on being paid through the Akuafo Cheque system to avoid being duped by some unscrupulous purchasing clerks.

Nana Adu was speaking at the maiden meeting of nine cocoa farmers who had won the district's best cocoa farmer award since 1995 to date at Mankranso last Tuesday during which they discussed issues affecting the cocoa industry and farmers.

The meeting was also to elect the executive for the association who seek to impart their knowledge to young cocoa farmers. He told farmers to ensure that quantity of the cocoa they sell to the licensed buying companies were entered into their passbooks to enable them work out their bonuses.

Nana Adu appealed to the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to provide farmers with quality pruning tools for the eradication of Mistletoes, which kill cocoa plants.

Mr Kwabena Amanfi, the organiser and secretary of the association, reminded his fellow best farmers to be non-partisan in their operations so as to be able to serve any government in power.

He said partisan politics, ethnic and religious conflicts seriously affect the development of society and therefore called for the avoidance of such conflicts.

Mr Amanfi commended the government for recognising the plight of cocoa farmers and assisting them through the mass cocoa spraying exercise, the introduction of the 'high-tech' and the increase in the producer price of the produce and said this had greatly helped farmers.