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The Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC) on cocoa under the Chairmanship of Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto Minister for Food and Agriculture, met and agreed on the Producer Price of Cocoa for the 2021/2022 season which opened on Friday 8th October, 2021.
In spite of the fall in the world market price of cocoa, the Government of Ghana has maintained the producer price at GHS 10,560.00 per tonne. The price represents 87.15% of the FOB value and translates into GHS 660 per bag of 64kg gross weight.
It is the highest within the sub-region and demonstrates Government’s commitment to sustain the interest of the cocoa farmer in producing cocoa as well as improve the well-being of cocoa farmers. The producer price has been maintained when all cocoa producing countries are contemplating a reduction in their farm gate prices following a slump in the terminal cocoa market as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through the Ghana-Cote D’Ivoire Initiative, we have continued to implement the Living Income Differential (LID) which is helping to improve the welfare of cocoa farmers in both countries. It is significant to note that today, cocoa farmers in Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire are better off than their counterparts in other cocoa producing countries because of the noble initiative.
Apart from that, Government will implement the Cocoa Pension Scheme for the 2021/22 cocoa season to ensure a sustainable livelihood of the Ghanaian cocoa farmer after they retire from active cocoa farming.
Further to assist the farmers, the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government has introduced a uniform non-adjustable electronic weighing for the purchase of cocoa. It has been certified by the Ghana Standard Authority and ascertained to conform to mandatory requirements. We advise the Labour Buying Companies (LBC’s) to cooperate with the Ghana Standard Authority to set up the scales and use them to weigh the farmer’s cocoa.
The committee has also approved the rates and fees for all other stakeholders in the supply chain. They include the Buyers’ margin, Hauliers’ rate, warehousing and internal marketing costs as well as fees for disinfestation, grading, sealing and scale inspection.
The Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government wil continue to support cocoa farmers through the pests and diseases control programme(Mass spraying) Hi-Tech, Pruning, Hand Pollination and Cocoa Rehabilitation. The Government has committed itself to continue supplying certified planting materials that are drought tolerant, early bearing and high-yielding. The implementation of these Productivity Enhancement Programme resulted in the achievement of a record production of 1,046,958 tonnes for the 2020/21 season.
It is announced for the information of all cocoa farmers and other stakeholders that COCOBOD has made available funds, jute sacks and related logistics for the smooth take off of the 2021/22 Main Crop Season.
Source: choicenewsonline.com
