Mills Lauds Contribution Of Farmers To Economy

President John Evans Atta Mills has lauded cocoa, coffee and shea-nut farmers for their contribution to the national economy.

He said the role of farmers in the socio-economic advancement of Ghana was unmatched and reaffirmed his commitment to ensure that “you have the strength and encouragement to contribute more to improve the lives of the people”.

The President made the commendation when the executives of the Cocoa, Coffee and Shea-nut Farmers Association called on him at the Castle, Osu in Accra, yesterday.

The farmers were at the Castle to express their appreciation to the President and the government for the unprecedented increase in the producer price of cocoa since assuming office in 2009.

Earlier this month, the government released GH¢23.4 million to licensed buying companies (LBCs) for the payment of the first tranche of bonuses to cocoa farmers in fulfilment of its pledge to pay bonuses twice a year to cocoa farmers.

Consequently, the management of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) informed all stakeholders in the cocoa industry, particularly cocoa farmers, that it had released funds totalling GH¢23,426,637.51 to the LBCs for the payment of the first tranche of bonuses.

The bonus to be paid is GH¢40 per tonne (16 bags) or GH¢2.50 per bag of 64kg of cocoa.

President Mills said the contribution of farmers to the economy was so satisfying that it could not be reciprocated by any individual or governments.

“If we want the country to survive, then we have to remain thankful to you because our survival depends on you. Your determination to improve the lot of Ghanaians is non-comparable,” he stressed.

The Chief of Staff, Mr Henry Martey Newman, said the intervention by the government yielded positive results which has enabled COCOBOD to purchase 550,000 tonnes of cocoa so far.

He advised COCOBOD to ensure that there was enough money to buy cocoa and also ship the produce on time.

He said the oil find in the Western Region should not discourage cocoa farmers, one third of which, incidentally, were in the region, to become complacent and abandon their farms, since “oil is not comparable to cocoa”.

The Spokesperson of the association, Alhaji Imoro Issifu Alhassan, on behalf of the Cocoa, Coffee and Shea-nut Farmers Association thanked the President and his government for the unprecedented increases in the producer price of cocoa since the government assumed power in January 2009.

He recalled that the price for a bag of cocoa of 64 kg was GH¢108 (GH¢1,632 per tonne) for the 2008/09/ cocoa season, noting that the government of the NDC increased the price of a bag to GH¢138 (GH¢2,208 per tonne) for the 2009/10 cocoa season.

Alhaji Alhassan said the latest producer price increase by the government from GH¢150 a bag of 64kg (GH¢2,400 per tonne ) to GH¢200 a bag (GH¢3,200 per tonne) for the 2010/11 cocoa season was an unprecedented act.

He thanked the government for the restoration of the annual subvention given to the association, adding that that gesture was used in educational programmes for farmers and also for logistics and the running of its offices.