Okofrobour Obeng Nuakoh III, the Chief of Dunkwa-on-Offin, in the Central Region, has commended the Akufo-Addo-led government for the increase in the Cocoa price from GH¢850 to GH¢1,308.
The government has since September 9, 2023 announced a new cocoa price at the opening of the 2023/2024 cocoa season.
The new price, the highest in 15 years, represents a 63.5 per cent increment of the previous one.
A bag of cocoa has thus moved from GH¢850.00 per bag to GH¢1,308.00 per bag, with the price per tonne moving from GH¢12,800.00 to GH¢20,943.00.
The new price follows a decision by the government and the COCOBOD management to ensure that cocoa farmers are reimbursed to produce more for exports to sustain the cocoa industry and to consolidate the country’s position as the leading cocoa producer worldwide.
Cocoa prices have increased from GH¢7,600 per tonne in 2016 to GH¢12,800 per tonne in 2022, representing a significant increase of 68%.
But Nana Obeng Nuakoh has noted that past governments have not shown much love and concern for farmers than President Akufo-Addo had done, by increasing the price of cocoa to alleviate their plight.
He told the paper that the pollination of cocoa trees introduced by the government has resulted in high yields of cocoa to the admiration of farmers.
The recent increases in cocoa price has, therefore, come to help cocoa farmers and advised the youth to embrace farming, instead of always relying on non- existing white collar jobs.
According to Okofrobour Obeng Nuakoh III, criticisms of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of the government about the new cocoa price are malicious and urged Ghanaians, especially cocoa farmers, to ignore what the chief described as a political propaganda and concentrate on their farming activities for more rewards.
The Dunkwa Chief is a cocoa farmer and was adjudged the 2nd National Best Farmer in 2004. He won the District best cassava farmer and District best farmer in 2007. He was also crowned the District Aquaculture best farmer in 2012.
Okofrobour Obeng Nuakoh has a rubber plantation, fish pond, vegetable, cassava, rice, Okro and pepper farms to his credit.
