By:Kofi Owusu

The zongohene of Mpasatia in the Atwima Mponua District of Ashanti, Chief Abdullai Mohammed has sent congratulatory message to the government for the recent cocoa price increment from GH 800 to GH 1308 per bag.

He said this would boost the morale of Cocoa farmers to take good care of their farms.

In his reaction shortly after the announcement by the President, Chief Abdullai who is also the President of Council of Zongo Chiefs of Mpasatia said the government has done well in this regard as he believes would encourage Ghanaians especially the youth to go into cocoa farming business.

According to him, though the increment would cushion Cocoa farmers a bit but they still need support ranging from agricultural inputs, supplying of Cocoa nurseries and loans.

On granting of loans to cocoa farmers, Chief Abdullai Mohammed indicated that, the government should go into terms with cocoa farmers who could meet the collateral conditions before granting the loans. He charged Ghana Cocoa Board ( COCOBOD ) and Cocoa Extension Division not to repeat mistake they did this year in the coming years. He said farmers were not supply with the nurseries this year but only supplied to farmers whose cocoa trees were old and destroyed by the government.

According to him,this caused frustration as they were not told earlier else they would have made proper arrangements on getting their own cocoa seedlings.

Chief Abdullai Mohammed stressed that he doesn’t understand why children are involving in other trades but when they accompany their parents to assist them in Cocoa farms they termed it as child labour.

He said the current cocoa farmers are getting old and “we need to nurture children to replace us when we die or pass on else the future of cocoa industry would be bleak.