3,223 Cocoa farmers in Ashanti Region paid premium
A total of 3,223 cocoa farmers in the Ahafo Ano North and Ahafo Ano South districts in the Ashanti Region have been paid cocoa certification premiums totalling GHc322,560 ($148,816) from Noble Resources, a major chocolate manufacturer.
The cash premium of GH¢3 per bag of cocoa was not part of the traditional bonus paid by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
The farmers sold 3,337.4 metric tonnes (53,398 bags) of certified cocoa beans to Noble Resources, a major chocolate manufacturing company through Federated Commodities, a Ghana-based cocoa licensed buying company. The produce met standards set by international certification group UTZ.
Coming under an association known as the Ahafo-Ano North and South Cocoa Farmers Association, the farmers were trained on sustainable cocoa production with sponsorship from UTZ, to improve crop yield and returns and thus meet certification standards.
At the annual general meeting of the farmers’ association at Mankranso in the Ahafo-Ano South District, where the premium payment was announced, the Country Representative of Noble Resources, Mr Edmund Quaye, said the farmers had proved that they were ready to adopt best practices in cocoa production.
He commended the leaders of the association and every cocoa farmer who worked hard to earn the bonus.
He said Ghana’s cocoa was well known for its quality and expressed the hope that cocoa farmers would continue to sustain that quality.
The Managing Director of Solidaridad (West Africa), a Dutch international development organisation involved in the promotion of sustainable cocoa and other agricultural practices, Mr Isaac Tawiah, said 160 community facilitators from 85 communities had been given refresher training in good agricultural practices and related areas.
He said as part of the sustainability programme, the cocoa farmers had established cocoa nurseries in 36 communities that had produced three varieties of recommended shade tree seedlings for cocoa, namely Amire, Kusia and Ofram.
He disclosed that in order to ensure that the farmers accessed current knowledge to implement good practices, Solidaridad had facilitated the extension service training to the members.
The Human Resources Manager, Cocoa Swollen Shoot and Virus Control Unit of COCOBOD, Mr David Amman, gave the assurance that the cocoa certification programme would be pursued with all seriousness.
The president of the farmers’ association, Mr Peter Aidoo, commended all those who had supported the association to improve performance.
By Kwame Asare Boadu/Daily Graphic/Ghana
