The Regional Manager of the Western South Cocoa Health and Extension Division of COCOBOD, Mr. Samuel Asuman
has said the cocoa industry could collapse if immediate interventions are not taken.
According to him, more than 100,000 acres of high-yield cocoa plantations have already been destroyed in key producing regions, such as Ashanti, Western, and Central.
Addressing cocoa farmers at Samahu during the presentation of the Cocoa Farmers Support Programme organised by Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, Mr. Asuman expressed concern that the increasing loss of farmland and declining yields had resulted in significant national output deficits.
“The reduction in export volumes is limiting foreign exchange earnings and crippling COCOBOD’s capacity to settle operational debts or fund farmer welfare programmes”.
He said illegal mining popularly known as galamsey was the biggest challenge currently facing Ghana’s cocoa industry, destroying cocoa farms despite substantial investments by COCOBOD in its rehabilitation programmes.
“We recently undertook a project to rehabilitate diseased cocoa farms in the region and farmers have benefited immensely.
However, when you visit some districts, you will be surprised by the extent to which galamsey activities are destroying farms that COCOBOD has invested so much to restore,” he said.
Mr. Abdul-Majid Mumuni, Deputy Executive Director of the Cocoa Health and Extension Division of COCOBOD, stressed that cocoa remained one of the country’s most important economic commodities and should not be sacrificed for short-term gains from illegal mining.
He stated that “There is a future for the cocoa sector, and under no circumstances should farmers give out their cocoa farms for illegal mining activities,”
Mr. Mumuni revealed that the government and COCOBOD were pursuing measures to protect cocoa-growing areas, including plans to strengthen sanctions against illegal activities that destroyed cocoa farms.
Mr. Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-Valley constituency, also reiterated that some farmers sold their lands to illegal miners for quick money, forgetting that cocoa was a lifelong investment.
“The money they take will feed them for a short time, but cocoa is there forever,” he added.
