The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has tasked farmers especially those in the cocoa farming catchment areas to collaborate with chiefs to fight illegal mining to ensure food security.
According to him, the illegal mining is a threat to agriculture and food security hence the need to complement government efforts to
fight the menace.
He noted that the menace, if not stopped, would make it difficult for farmers to have access to water for irrigation purposes.
The Chief Executive made the call at a meeting with the Regional and District Chief cocoa farmers from the Bono, Bono East, Western, Western North and Ashanti regions in Kumasi to acquaint himself with first-hand information with regard to their challenges for collective resolution.
Mr. Aidoo stated that Ghana as an agricultural country cannot achieve the sustainable growth without largely depending on irrigation and if our water bodies are destroyed through the activities of the illegal mining, we are going nowhere as a country.
He explained the delay in the acquisition of syndicated loan came about because Ghana was downgraded for four consecutive times.
The CEO stated that as a result, the Ghanaian cocoa farmers diverted the produce to La Cote d’Ivoire because of the delay of the syndicated loan, which affected the targeted tons in Ghana.
He indicated that, minimum guarantee price to cocoa farmers in Ghana is unchangeable whether the price decreases or increases.
The COCOBOD head disclosed that the category A, B and Ruminants prices are always reduced on the international market by 20, 30 and 40%respectively, while the minimum guarantee price cannot be reduced irrespective of any situation.
He noted that cocoa farmers in Ghana have always received the highest price in the last five years as compared to La Côte d’Ivoire until it was affected by the recent exchange rate caused by the fall in the cedi.
The COCOBOD boss has, therefore, urged Ghanaian farmers to always consult the COCOBOD when the need arises for any clarification before going public with issues.
