Early Harvest For Cocoa

Cocoa is likely to be harvested earlier than the normal period, with yield tripling, after the introduction of some specialized nutrients.

The Chief Executive Officer of Cocobod, Isaac Osei, who disclosed this while addressing members of the Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises Committee of Parliament, during a visit to familiarize themselves with activities of the board, said he envisaged 350,00 tonnes of cocoa production by close of the year.

In line with the increasing capacity, he said, the services of Belgium and Cuba were been solicited for the country to start artisanal packaging of chocolate.

He told the visitors that Cocobod had delved into the production of coffee and shea nuts after a decade of focusing on cocoa, adding that “a lot of research and marketing are being undertaken in that regard”.

Mr Osei further stated that his outfit had sourced $100 million for the production of cocoa this year.

“A major challenge to cocoa production includes the black pod disease, and the swollen shoot which requires total removal of cocoa stumps,” he stated.

To remedy the situation, he said Cocobod had developed seedlings and pods that expedited the growth of cocoa.

With the introduction of the seedlings and certain nutrients, cocoa could be harvested within a period of two to three years.

By Felix Dela Klutse