According to the company, the reports are totally false.

GREL in a statement also dispelled reports that it has destroyed some cocoa farms in those regions to make way for rubber plantations.

[contextly_sidebar id=”4GVoaIHte70xpLOSS60ZTu6LOoo19Pkf”]“Our attention has been drawn to various articles and documentaries about the alleged destruction of cocoa farms by Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) to develop rubber plantations in the Eastern and Western Regions of the Republic of Ghana. Management is minded to respond to these articles and documentaries largely due to the palpable falsehoods, blatant lies and factual inaccuracies contained in these publications with the sole aim of bringing the name of Ghana Rubber Estates Limited into disrepute,” a statement from the company said.

GREL has been lambasted by some sector institutions including COCOBOD for allegedly destroying cocoa plantations in the country.

Some cocoa farmers in the Eastern Region have also threatened to embark on a demonstration to register their displeasure over the alleged destruction of a number of cocoa farms to pave way for the cultivation of rubber.

But GREL in the statement debunked the claims and said it has duly paid and compensated land owners who leased their lands to them for the rubber project.

“…we would like to state emphatically that at no point in time has the company forcibly ejected the tenant farmers from the field. At no point in time did GREL engage Police to intimidate the farmers into accepting the cheques for compensation.”

Below is the full statement from GREL:

THE FACTS ABOUT NATURAL RUBBER DEVELOPMENT/EXPANSION PROJECT BY GHANA RUBBER ESTATES LIMITED (GREL)

Our attention has been drawn to various articles and documentaries about the alleged destruction of cocoa farms by Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) to develop rubber plantations in the Eastern and Western Regions of the Republic of Ghana.

Management is minded to respond to these articles and documentaries largely due to the palpable falsehoods, blatant lies and factual inaccuracies contained in these publications with the sole aim of bringing the name of Ghana Rubber Estates Limited into disrepute.

The following are the facts as response to these articles and television documentaries:

GREL is a natural rubber producer and has a concession size of 21,747 hectares (ha) of which 16,017ha is State Land and the remaining portion of 5,730ha being Stool/Family Lands. The distribution of the concession per Region is as follows:

Western Region = 19,849ha (State Land- 16,017ha & Stool/Family Land – 4,123ha).

Central Region = 809ha (Stool/Family Lands)

Eastern Region = 800ha (Stool Lands)

GREL has also helped/assisted 9,500 individuals to develop 42,600ha of rubber outgrower farms in Western, Central, Ashanti and Eastern Regions of the Republic Of Ghana with the Eastern Region having only developed 50ha out of the 42,600ha. The company currently operates a 10-ton per hour rubber processing factory located at Apimenim in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region.

EASTERN REGION

In 2012, Management of GREL received an invitation from the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council (AATC) to develop Rubber and Oil Palm Plantations in the Traditional area with the aim of boosting the local economy and creating jobs. After two years of deliberations and stakeholder engagements with the various divisions under AATC an MOU was signed between GREL and AATC on 3^rd July, 2014 granting GREL the permission to lease lands under the Traditional Area for rubber plantations. GREL then proceeded to sign an MOU with Asamankese Stool on 15^th August, 2014 for the lease of lands in Asikasu, Mepom, Fantwuma and Okurase all under the Asamankese Stool.

GREL continued to engage the tenant farmers in Asikasu, Breman and Okurase who would be affected by the project and the traditional authorities in these areas until an agreement was reached with all parties for enumeration of crops to be affected and payment of compensations. On 22^nd June, 2015 an agreement was signed between GREL and Asamankese Stool for the lease of 600ha (1500Acres) and 200ha (500acres) of land respectively at Asikasu and Okurase all under the Asamankese Stool of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council. A lease agreement was subsequently signed leasing the lands to GREL for a 50-year period.

GREL started payment of compensation to all farmers within the project area in 2015 and out of the 1500acres of Land leased to the company at Asikasu only 373acres of cocoa was cultivated on the land as against the 2000 acres being claimed by some group of people. For the 500 acres of land leased at Okurase not even a single acre of cocoa was found to have been cultivated on the land. Again, we would like to state emphatically that at no point in time has the company forcibly ejected the tenant farmers from the field. At no point in time did GREL engage Police to intimidate the famers into accepting the cheques for compensation.

For the Asikasu Land about 95% of the tenant farmers have received their compensation but the remaining 5% are refusing to accept the compensation claiming personal ownership of the land. We have been trying to engage them since 2015 and till date they have not provided any proof of ownership of the land. These are the group of farmers creating a lot of disturbance for the company and have refused to come to the table to discuss the issue at hand but rather moving from one media house to another spreading totally false and malicious information about the company. It has gotten to a point that the company will have to move on with its operations and cannot wait any longer since these people are not ready co-operate.

For the Okurase Land, GREL has only been able to develop 50ha out of the 200ha of land leased from the Traditional Authorities in 2015. We are still engaging the tenant farmers so that an amicable solution can be found to the impasse to allow the company develop the rest of the land.

WESTERN REGION

In 2011 GREL leased 2,430(6004.18 Acres) of land from Apinto Stool under the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council. This acquisition was preceded by various stakeholder engagements which involved tenant farmers within the project area and the traditional authorities.

Compensations to all tenant farmers within the project area were paid in 2011. GREL commenced development of the area from 2012 to 2016. During this period GREL allowed all recipients of compensation to continue to maintain their farms until it was time for rubber development. Some of them were on the land for 4 years after having been duly compensated.

Out of the 6000 Acres leased by GREL and duly paid for, management conserved about 20% of the land surface of which about 500Acres is being used as a forest reserve. Environmental Students from the tertiary institutions have been using it (the forest reserve) as a research site and the cost of research is paid by GREL. The cost of conserving this area is the responsibility of GREL.

Based on the good and transparent nature of GREL’s operations, the Apinto Stool in 2012 proposed another 1,566ha (3,870.39 Acres) to GREL for lease. GREL started engaging all the affected farmers from 2012 until April, 2013 when an agreement was reached for the lease of the land.

GREL mapped out an area of 600Acres out of the 3,870acres it leased from Apinto Stool and asked the farmers in these area to keep their farms because of the huge cocoa farms within that area which was estimated to be 400acres. The farmers in these areas have been agitating for the company to come and pay their compensation but the company has refused to do so with the explanation that they need to keep on cultivating their farms.

In addition to the 600acres reserved, GREL decided to conserve another 247Acres which it had duly compensated the farmers in these areas in line with its Environmental Charter.

Payment of compensation to all affected tenant farmers outside the 600acre area reserved was done in 2013. GREL allowed the affected farmers who were compensated in 2013 to continue to keep their farms until it started developing the area from 2017. About 10% of the farmers who refused to take their cheque in 2013 finally collected their cheques in 2017. Before payment was done, GREL met the farmers’ representative and the traditional authorities and a 10% upward adjustment was done before payment.

At no point in time have we forcibly moved farmers from the land or harassed them. GREL has duly paid all compensations to affected farmers and most of them were asked to move after 2 to 4 years after payment of compensation.

As a responsible corporate entity, GREL does not renege on the payments of its statutory obligations such as taxes and dividends to the Government of Ghana(which owns 25% shares in GREL), its Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as undertaking various Corporate Social Responsibility Projects within its operational areas.

On scholarships offered by GREL to brilliant but needy students in our operational areas, GREL offers thirty three (33) fully paid scholarships to brilliant but needy students every year throughout their senior high school education since 2005.

The Corporate Social Responsibility projects across the ten (10) traditional areas that GREL operates, in the Seven (7) Municipal and District Assemblies are there for any well-meaning journalist to see. These projects range from Schools, Community Water projects, Clinics, KVIPS, Community Centres, Libraries etc. GREL has spent over 2.5 million euros from 2006 to date on these Corporate Social Responsibility projects and initiatives which are dotted across the length and breadth of our operational areas.

As a sign of GREL’S commitment to the communities and the Association of Chiefs on Whose Lands GREL Operates (ACLANGO), the Company, in 2006, constructed and donated an ultra-modern office building to the Association at Agona Nkwanta, Western Region. In addition, the Company also pays fully the salaries of the administrative staff, the utility bills and all other administrative expenditure needed for the smooth running of the office every month.

Additionally, the Company contributes significant amount in cash to Nananom towards the yearly celebration of the communities’ annual festivals.

As a responsible Company which is committed to food security, GREL has in collaboration with Crop Research Institute, trained our outgrower farmers on how to grow and maintain food crops on their rubber farms. This proud initiative of ours has received tonnes of commendations from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other international organisations. Some of our outgrower farmers have also received accolades and awards at the district levels in past celebrations of Farmers’ Day ceremonies.

We hope this would correct the misinformation that has been churned out by certain media organisations and individuals.

Issued by Management,

Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL)

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post We’ve not forcibly taken over cocoa farms – GREL appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the issue has affected the growth of the cocoa sector as politicians have over the years, used cocoa’s prospects to their gain.

The warning also comes at a time where government and the industry watchers are contemplating on the next move on pricing for farmers with the continuous drop in the global price of cocoa.

Despite the slump in international price of cocoa (from 3000 dollars to 1900 dollars), government maintained the producer price of cocoa beans for the 2017/2018 crop season at 7,600 cedis per metric tonne.

Senior Research Fellow under the Development Strategy and Governance Division at the IFPRI, Shashi Kolavalli advised government to educate farmers on the real price fluctuations on the international market to avert the perennial apprehension among them when prices begin to slide.

“The current path the government is taking is not sustainable; the important thing about managing the sector is to let the farmers understand that what they get is really dependent on the market”.

He added, “In my view, the government has failed to do that; in a way it comes across to the farmers as how much is the government going to give me which is a government policy and that is why now when prices are increasing, government can take credit for it and when prices are declining like now, they have to find a way to take the price up as a government…if they don’t, farmers will then think and say that government is not paying me well so stabilization is difficult.”

Shashi Kolavalli made the remarks at the launch of a book on Ghana’s cocoa industry titled, “The Cocoa Coast.”

Mr. Kolavalli also advised that COCOBOD partners with players in the private sector to make the administration of the cocoa sector more efficient.

He also advised that the country should increase its fertilizer use to boost production as well as find other means to irrigate the cocoa trees in the wake of changing rainfall patterns in the country.

“In order for Ghana to increase production in the cocoa sector, it must increase the use and supply of fertilizer to farmers for their cocoa farms. Also, I can say that in comparing Ghana’s rainfall pattern to that of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana is behind as the weather pattern here has changed; so there must be alternative ways to address this issue.”

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By: Anita Arthur/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post Political interference threatens future of Ghana’s cocoa appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In 2017, hundreds of hectares of cocoa plantations were destroyed by the activities of miners across the country, with cocoa farms in the Eastern, Western and Ashanti regions being the worst affected.

Recently, the activities of rubber companies and illegal miners, at Asikesu in the Upper West Akyem District and Kwabeng district respectively have reportedly caused the destruction of thousands of acres of cocoa plantation, denying farmers and their families of their livelihoods.

Speaking to Citi News at a sod cutting ceremony for the construction of the National Cocoa Museum at Mampong in the Akuapem North Municipality of the Eastern Region, the Public Affairs Director of COCOBOD, Noah K. Amenya, condemned the activities of such companies.

“I must say we are not happy with the destruction of cocoa plantations and if COCOBOD had powers on land use, we would say that no one should destroy cocoa farms for any other cultivation. But unfortunately we do not have that power,” he said.

Mr. Amenya also pleaded with traditional authorities and other stakeholders not to sell out cocoa plantations and land earmarked for cocoa farms.

“We are appealing to opinion leaders that cocoa has helped this country over a period of time. We have seen scholarships for school children, we have seen roads being constructed from cocoa proceeds so, therefore, we should guard cocoa farms instead of allowing illegal miners and rubber companies to have access to cocoa lands. We will suffer in the long run if care is not taken. We will continue to advocate and plead with traditional rulers, chiefs and stakeholders not to sell out cocoa farms to companies whose activities will not generate the relevant benefits and revenue that cocoa generates for this country.”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post COCOBOD slams mining, rubber firms for ‘destroying’ cocoa lands appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The CPC maintains that the decision is necessary to stay relevant in the cocoa sector and give investors value for money.

The cocoa processor is indebted to a group of syndicated banks to the tune of $20,213,037 for over a decade now.

This has also been blamed on the persistent challenges that have confronted the company for sometime now.

These border on unfavourable economic conditions; market, operational and environmental conditions, among others.

The Managing Director of the Cocoa Processing Company, Nana Agyenim Boateng who was speaking at a facts behind the figures session on Tuesday further explained the conditions under which the extension has been calculated.

“Looking at the two options available, that is what will determine the decision to take with the banks. Upon waiting and realized that the banks were not pursuing  the money even at a time that the results are turning positive, there is a lot of re-financing options available. But I am only being careful and not being ungrateful that is why I am asking for an extension but if a bank insists, then I’d have to find money to repay the money as quickly as possible,” he explained.

Reacting to concerns on whether or not the company sought a reduction on the interest rate charged on the loan initially, Mr. Agyenim Boateng replied in the negative.

He argued that such decision would have compounded the banks’ challenges due to the length of the delay of the repayment.

“I didn’t get the 9.58% reduced because I have starved the banks of their due for long,” he added.

The affected banks include Barclays Bank, Ecobank and Societe Generale.

Meanwhile the company has assured that it is working to pay all outstanding debts owed the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).

In 2005, COCOBOD was converted some 16 million dollars of its debt owed it by CPC into equity.

Subsequently in 2008, the regulator also moved some 32 million dollars of CPC’s indebtedness into long term loan at an annual interest rate of 5%.

The recent announcement by CPC follows months of caution of a possible delisting from the Ghana Stock Exchange due to the company’s inability to meet its listing obligations such as paying of listing fees, not organizing AGM’s, non-disclosure of financial statements, among others.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post CPC extends payment for 20 million dollar debt appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

GAWU fears any such move will have dire implications for the cocoa sector and distort economic plans for the year.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has warned Ghana against a further drop in the price of cocoa on the international market.

The EIU also wants the country to guard itself from potential smuggling of cocoa from neighbouring Ivory Coast due to a favourable price for cocoa farmers in Ghana.

Some have viewed such reasons as basis to reduce the producer price for cocoa from the current 7,600 cedis.

But the General Secretary of GAWU, Edward Kareweh explains to Citi Business News yielding to the appeal will be unfortunate for the cocoa subsector.

“It will be disastrous for government to attempt to make a review this time…we should wait till the end of the year and if things have not changed, then in that case government can come with the facts to the table and what is happening at the global level.”

Mr. Kareweh added, “Then the farmers including all stakeholders will see the reality and I think that they will reason with the government and come out with a decision that will be in the best interest of the farmers and the country and I think it will be acceptable to the farmers themselves and the stakeholders.”

According to the EIU, cocoa production may drop due to challenges associated with old cocoa trees in the country.

Meanwhile COCOBOD is targeting about 700,000 tonnes of cocoa production in the 2017/2018 season.

The price of cocoa has dropped sharply from 3000 dollars per tonne to about 1900 dollars by the end of 2017.

Also, Ghana is said to be losing at least 1 billion dollars every year as a result of the declining prices of cocoa on the international market.

In all these however, the GAWU General Secretary maintains government’s efforts must be lauded to cushion farmers from global trade imbalances.

“For now I think the government has done enough to insulate the farmers from the global declining prices…I think that we should encourage government to do things like these and not subject our producers and Ghanaians to the dictates of the global market and trading system,” he argued.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post GAWU rejects reduction of cocoa prices in Ghana appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Aidoo made the observation when he toured some cocoa farms in the Western South and Western North Cocoa Regions of Ghana to acquaint himself of the state of cocoa farms after the introduction of the Hand Pollination exercise.

He expressed disappointment at the state of CSSVD infestation when he was greeted with it as well as pest infestations on some farms.

Mr. Aidoo was accompanied on the familiarization tour by the directors of the various COCOBOD subsidiaries: Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) and Seed Production Division (SPD).

He used the occasion to discuss with some subsidiary heads remedial actions to be taken immediately and also design a rehabilitation programme. He implored them to take samples of the diseased pods for further studies to arrive at the appropriate interventions.

The chief executive stated his readiness to tackle the state of disease infestation on the Ghanaian cocoa industry, ‘Until we are able to take stringent measures to curtail the disease infestations on large tracts of cocoa farms, cocoa yield in the coming years will drastically fall’, he said. ‘The likely poor yield can impoverish the Ghanaian cocoa farmer and affect the overall world chocolate industry’ he added.

Mr. Aidoo stated that the only means to salvage the distressed situation will be to source for funds to embark on vigorous cocoa farm rehabilitation programme while deepening the Cocoa Hi-Tech programme to massively fight cocoa disease and pest infestation.

He called on cocoa farmers to fully embrace the interventions that will be used to decrease the cocoa diseases and pest infestations as a means to fighting the menace.

The Managing Director of Quality Control Company, Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku used the occasion to demonstrate to some farmers how to handle cocoa beans to ensure good quality cocoa beans for sale.

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By: citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post COCOBOD to tackle swollen shoot disease appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Godsway Kofi Akwa, was remanded by the court after he admitted pilfering 3 sacks of cocoa seeds and plantain worth about GHC 850.

[contextly_sidebar id=”EUnkA2ixOCF3aTMLrrs40bLqHStssuYv”]Presenting the case to the court, the Police Prosecutor said, the complainant; Emmanuel Akwa, who is a brother to the accused, reported that, the accused went to his farm in the night to collect three sacks of cocoa seeds he [Emmanuel] left to dry without permission.

He said some of his neigbours told him the accused was seen carrying sacks from the farm.

He then reported the case to police for his arrest and further interrogations. At the court, Godsway admitted committing the act, but with explanations.

The court asked that he should be remanded into custody to reappear on 22nd of November for the verdict.

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By: King Norbert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 23-yr old remanded for stealing brother’s cocoa seeds appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The COCOBOD CEO says Ghanaians will soon know the outcome of their investigations into that transaction.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ksYHXDX3cmDvdOO7J9SdPXUgbB7eEiPk”]He explained that, the NDC government secured an amount of US$1.8 billion for the 2016/2017 cocoa purchases, which were projected at 850,000 metric tonnes.

According to him, as at January 2017, the US$1.8 billion had been fully drawn and utilized when only 587,125 metric tonnes of cocoa had been purchased.

He said “The mystery surrounding the exhaustion of the US$1.8 billion is being investigated and the full facts will be made known to Ghanaians in due course. Peculiar to the loan utilization is the last drawdown of US$400.0 million which was effected on 20th December 2016 at the time the NDC had woefully lost the December 2016 elections.”

“It is still surprising how the full drawdown of US$400.00 million (GH¢1.69 billion) was fully expended between 20th December 2016 and 6th January 2017 when the NPP government took over after 7th January 2017. Audit findings into the utilization of the amount will be made known to Ghanaians at the appropriate time when the full facts are unravelled.”

Mr. Boahen Aidoo said, despite this inability to account properly for the loan, the NPP government was saddled with a whopping debt of GHC19.6 billion after taking over in January 2017.

The COCOBOD CEO, who spoke to journalists at a news conference on Wednesday, took on the NDC Minority, because according to him, they have made several baseless and false claims about the new government’s management of the cocoa sector.

He said the penchant to siphon funds through inflated contracts was rampant in the NDC administration through ill-conceived construction contracts in the cocoa sector.

He said such contracts were awarded without proper value for money analysis, bringing into question the motive behind them.

COCOBOD built Bole guest house for Mahama’s comfort – CEO

He named one of such wasteful contracts as the building of an “unnecessary COCOBOD Guest House” in the Northern Regional town of Bole, where then President Mahama hails from.

Joseph Boahen Aidoo accused former President John Mahama of influencing the construction of that guest house for his personal comfort while in office.

He insisted that the erstwhile administration of COCOBOD led by Mr. Stephen Opuni, rather misappropriated millions of cocoa funds on frivolous activities.

He revealed that the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) is investigating possible cases of financial malfeasance during the tenure of the former COCOBOD CEO, Dr. Stephen Opuni.

We’ve saved Ghana Ghc80million cedis

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board, also revealed that the new administration has saved the country some Ghc80 million, following the review of a fertilizer and chemical supplies contract of over GHC500 million, awarded by the John Mahama administration shortly before they left office, after losing the 2016 election.

He said the free fertilizer programme for instance, was used by the NDC to introduce sub-standard and inefficacious fertilizers into the cocoa Hi-Tech programme.

“Cocoa farmers expressed misgivings and disquiet in accepting the sub-standard fertilizers through the free fertilizer programme introduced by Dr. Opuni and the NDC regime. He resolved to willfully cause financial waste such that farmers would be compelled to accept the fertilizers for free if acceptance through the subsidized sale was not successful.”

“Similarly, the cocoa mass spraying exercise was changed from the normal model of spraying by gangs to the distribution of sub-standard insecticides and fungicides to farmers to spray their own farms. The amount saved from the non-payment of gangs was misapplied through inflated contracts.”

He added that “the rehabilitation programme was abandoned by the NDC regime, and therefore the party cannot claim credit for the cutting of mistletoes. Rather, the NDC decided to pursue the so-called free distribution of inputs and seedlings, which were rather conduits for inflated contracts and the syphoning of funds.”

Subsidized fertilizer

According to him, the NPP Government has now re-introduced the fertilizer subsidy programme with quality and high yielding fertilizers.

“There is an average subsidy of 53% on the fertilizers. The mass spraying gangs are paid promptly and therefore there is no evidence to suggest that spraying gang allowances have been in arrears for four (4) months as alleged by the NDC press conference. The gangs spray evenly across all farms without discrimination.”

NDC minority making noise about non-existent challenges

“It is very interesting to hear the minority talk about challenges with the Cocoa Mass Spraying programme when the government has, in fact, re-launched the programme to make it more viable. All the so-called challenges mentioned are non-existent. Cocoa diseases and pests do not know the political affiliation of cocoa farmers. It will, therefore, be unfortunate for COCOBOD to politicise this important intervention which has played a very important role in increased cocoa production since its introduction in 2001.”

Mr. Boahen Aidoo further revealed that, the NDC administration spearheaded procurement of agrochemical and fertilizer inputs above allocated budgets, and that the budgets for the years were exceeded through padded contracts.

“Worse to mention is the fact that, these agro inputs were rushed through the scientific testing regime by the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG). Officials of CRIG who resisted to rush the products through the fast-tracked testing regime were transferred. These inputs were confirmed by farmers across the country to be ineffective and it is not surprising that Ghana’s cocoa production plummeted to the 740,000 and 778,000 tonnes in the 2014/2015 and the 2015/2016 seasons respectively when Dr Opuni was in charge of COCOBOD.”

“In addition to this, the NDC Government had awarded contracts for fertilizer and chemical supplies worth more than GHC500.00 million before leaving office in January 2017. The new management had to renegotiate these contracts, saving the Ghanaian farmer over GHS80.00 million” he noted.
–
By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NDC cashed $400m cocoa loan after losing 2016 polls – COCOBOD appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The move will now allow the two countries to enact common laws and use workable strategies to improve cocoa yields.

In order to ensure a much better involvement in the international pricing of cocoa, the two Governments, through their respective cocoa institutions, namely the Coffee-Cocoa Board for Côte d’Ivoire, and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), agreed to adopt common policies on the marketing, storage and processing, and promotion of local consumption of cocoa.

Ghana’s Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu, who spoke to media after the meeting on Monday, said, “the meeting was to agree to a roadmap to a framework of the actions, that the two countries intend to put forward an issue of climate change. We know that this has become very predominant across the world and as neighbours with a common goal, we are more interested in collaborating to achieve the objectives we set.”

“We thought it wise to come together and present a common joint action. Don’t forget that Ghana and Ivory Coast have already had some strategic partnerships at government to government level, which was witnessed just about two weeks ago.”

He noted that “This is in preparation for our deforestation program in terms of degradation which is as a result of illegal small scale mining. This we know is contributing to the reduction in cocoa production. We also want to make sure that we contain and maintain our forest and prepare it for the future generation.”

Cote D’Ivoire remains the world’s leading producer of cocoa, whilst Ghana is second.

In the 2015/2016 crop year, about 1.58 million metric tons of cocoa beans were produced in Côte d’Ivoire.

Ghana on the other hand, bagged only 690,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans for the 2015/2016 crop season, despite a target of 850,000 metric tonnes. It therefore missed its target by 160,000 metric tonnes.

The shortfall was attributed to poor managerial policies of the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), and unfavourable weather conditions.

Figures from Cocobod indicated that, the country’s highest output for cocoa production was 1,024,552 metric tonnes which was recorded in the 2010/2011 crop season.
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By: Kojo Agyeman/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ghana, Ivory Coast adopt framework to protect cocoa, forest reserves appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

At a press conference in the Western Region, the Minority accused the Akufo-Addo government of poorly managing the cocoa sector.

[contextly_sidebar id=”IbsuU974rpPKZcEPxFA1IIYmhyDMmU3C”]It further claimed that government has sidelined suspected NDC sympathizers in the distribution of the subsidized fertilizer.

According to them, government’s decision to sell the fertilizer at a subsidized price instead of giving them out for free, amounts to robbing the farmers.

But speaking to Citi News, Dr. Afriyie described such claims as misleading.

According to Dr. Afriyie, the cocoa sector is doing well under the Akufo-Addo government, such that there is reverse smuggling of cocoa beans from Cote D’ivoire to Ghana.

“What the Minority said is very pathetic and very disingenuous. We have maintained the price at GHC 475…As I speak to you now, there is reverse smuggling from Cote D’lvoire to Ghana. If the prices were so good why are Ghanaian farmers not sending their cocoa to Cote D’lvoire as was sometime in the past?”

Gov’t has neglected cocoa farmers – Minority

The Minority Spokesperson on Agric, Eric Opoku, had accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration of neglecting cocoa farmers in the country.

He indicated that, this is evident in the cancellation of some road projects, challenges with cocoa mass spraying exercise, and replacement of free fertilizers with subsidized ones.

“Our dear farmers, it is sad to note that no provision was made for cocoa roads in the COCOBOD budget for 2017/18. This means that the cocoa roads which are deteriorating faster than anticipated due to the neglect of the NPP government, is going to get worse, making users (mostly farmers) wretchedly despondent and low-spirited to continue to labour for our dear nation,” Mr. Opoku said.

Mr. Opoku also accused the NPP government of sidelining perceived sympathizers of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the distribution of fertilizers, claiming that farmers are now in difficulties.

“The programme is overly politicized, and perceived NDC sympathizers are left out in the distribution of chemicals.”

He further challenged government to come clean on how much government has realized so far in the cocoa stabilization fund.

“You may recall that in the last press conference, we made specific demands in respect of the Cocoa Stabilization Fund established in 2014 by the Mahama government. Even though attempts were made to respond to the issues raised, specific questions were not addressed. We are still interested in knowing how much is accumulated in the Cocoa Stabilization Fund and its impact on cocoa farmers in this critical period.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Minority’s claims we’ve neglected cocoa farmers bogus – Gov’t appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.