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Ghana’s cocoa production more than doubled within
eight years
Koforidua June 26, Ghanadot/GNA - Mr Isaac Osei, Chief
Executive of COCOBOD, on Thursday said the country’s cocoa
production shot up from 300,000 tons to over 700,000 tons
within eight years.
He said this was achieved as a result of implementation of
good policies and it is expected that by 2010 cocoa
production will reach one million tons a year.
Mr Osei said this when he launched the 70th anniversary
celebration of Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) in
Koforidua.
He said backed by harmonious policies from government and
COCOBOD a lot of scientific research results had gone into
comprehensive programmes such as COPAPEC and High-tech
leading to good results in the cocoa industry.
Mr Osei reminded CRIG of the special role they are expected
to play for the attainment of the one million target set by
the COCOBOD.
He expressed optimism that CRIG would continue to propel the
growth of the economy through provision of tried and tested
technologies for farmers to maximize their yield.
Mr Kwadwo Baah Owiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic
Planning, appealed in a speech read on his behalf that CRIG
should take up the challenge and work hard to improve the
quality of cocoa to enable the country’s cocoa to enjoy even
a much better premium.
He urged the institute to let farmers have better
understanding of the use of pesticides and fertilizers and
adopt recommended agronomic, fermentation and drying
practices to meet the quality expected by the markets.
Mr Baah Owiredu said the country is faced with the problem
of pesticides residues, polycyclic aromatic hydro carbons
contained in beans drying on the tarmac or over wood fires
which apparently are harmful to human health.
He said there was also the question of Ochratoxin in cocoa
beans with its potentially carcinogenic effect adding that
more research development and education was required to
reduce to the barest minimum the effects of those factors.
Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister, in a
speech read for him said he foresaw further development of
CRIC into a world class research institute in all aspects of
its mandate crops.
Dr Y. Adu Ampomah, Executive Director, CRIG said the vision
of the institute is that by 2010 the Ghana cocoa industry
and that of the other mandated crops would be
research-driven and commercially viable.
“At least 1,000,000 tones of cocoa will be produced
annually, of which, at least, 40 percent will be processed
in Ghana”.
GNA
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