Partners in the global cocoa industry, have accepted the proposed Floor Price by Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire of US$2,600 per tonne.
This pricing is expected to come into effect from the main growing season of 2020 to 2021.
The deal, therefore, gives the assurance of better producer prices for farmers in Ghana. This is because 70 percent of the price will be given directly to the farmers for their produce sold to Licensed Buying companies.
Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, who made these observations, however, said, Ghana needs to meet some demands within and beyond the period.
Mr. Aidoo also spent time to explain some key interventions being implemented by COCOBOD, and educate the farmers on the best tilling practices for improved yields.
The COCOBOD Chief Executive and his team of regulators are in the Ashanti Region on a tour of cocoa-growing districts to interact with farmers and know their concerns at first hand.
On day one of the tour, the COCOBOD Management team held durbars with farmers from the Amansie West, South and Central Districts at Tontokrom, in Obuasi, Adansi Atobiase and Brofoyedru near Adansi Asokwa in the Adansi North District.
Some of the issues raised by the farmers hinge on irregular and untimely supply of subsidised fertilizers and approved agrochemicals, poor roads leading to and from cocoa-producing communities, delayed payments of Allowances and supply of working gear to members of the Mass Spraying Gangs.
COCOBOD Chief Executive, Joseph Boahene Aidoo, informed the cocoa farmers of the President’s push for streamlining cocoa prices.
He assured them that global cocoa industry players have accepted the Floor Price of $2,600 per ton of the commodity effective October 2020-2021.
However, Ghana needs to meet some required modalities to avert a threat of a boycott of the country’s produce by the EU.
These demands include the total elimination of child labour in cocoa production, farming in reserved forests, and the use of harmful chemicals such as Two-Four D from production.
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