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AGRICULTURE

‘Create Cocoa District for us’ - Prestea MCE

The Municipal Chief Executive for Prestea Huni-Valley, Hon. Mozart K. Owuh has made a passionate appeal to the Ghana Cocoa Board for the establishment of a ‘cocoa district’ in the municipality.

Date Created : 9/19/2018 3:14:16 AM : Story Author : Desmond Nana Osei/Ghanadistricts.com

The MCE, Hon. Owuh made the appeal when he was delivering a speech at the second “Regional Cocoa Yield Improvement Education Programme” organised by Ghana Cocoa Board, Western-South Region.

Hon. Mozart was unhappy about situations where Cocoa Farmers in Prestea Huni-Valley would have to travel to Tarkwa Office of Cocoa Board, sometimes in very frustrating cues to obtain fertilizers and other facilities from Cocoa Board.

He said, ‘Prestea Huni-Valley, the second most populated Municipality in the Western deserves its own Cocoa District’.

“I have discussed with my MP, Hon. Lawyer Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, and together, we are appealing to Cocoa Board to get Prestea Huni-Valley Cocoa District. “ We grow lots of cocoa here, but, you hear, Cocoa Roads, and its in the cities, meanwhile, Dwurigum, Enyinam, Botebone, Wassa Nkran, Banaho, No.1, and others, our roads are unmotorable!. Ghana Cocoa Board should revise the Cocoa Roads Project to affect the REAL Cocoa Farmer, not the cities” he added.

He promised that, from henceforth, if any fertilizer, or seedlings, he will help transport it to Prestea Huni-Valley from Tarkwa, so that, farmers are saved from travels. Hon. Mozart K. Owuh also stated further that, “some farmers are now cutting their cocoa to plant rubber or oil palm, but, I believe, there should not be a competition between the two crops.

He promised to intensify education to help dissuade farmers who are now cutting down their cocoa trees to plant rubber or oil palm, adding that more education will help farmers understand that, some soils support cocoa while, others support rubber or oil palm.

He disclosed that, the government is set to construct an oil Palm Factory under its flagship One District, One Factory (ODOF) agro-industrialization initiative.

On his part, Mr. Francis Antwi-Adjei, the Western South Regional Manager in charge of Cocoa Health and Extensive Division of Ghana Cocoa Board, also stated that about 12.3 million seedlings have been nursed and given freely to farmers to ensure Cocoa Production takes shape again.

He said: “the Mass spraying, pruning programmes are all in place, and now, we are going to inaugurate Cocoa Cooperatives Societies for Tarkwa District. “These are indications of our commitment to ensure improved yield.

Over 600 Cocoa Farmers took part in the programme.