Cocoa farmers expressed concern about stealing of insecticide

Suhum, May 26, GNA - A cross-section of cocoa farmers at Suhum in the Eastern Region have expressed concern about the continued stealing of some of the insecticide meant for spraying cocoa farms by some of the workers.

Expressing concern on behalf of the farmers at Akote-Ayisikrom on Thursday, a representative of the Chief Farmer, Mr Samuel Tetteh, said as a result of the stealing of the insecticide, especially "cocostar", most of the farms at Akote-Ayisikrom could not be sprayed last year. He alleged that the insecticide were stolen by some of the spraying gangs and sold to some farmers, thereby denying other farmers from spraying their farms.

He warned that if immediate measures were not taken, the government's efforts to encourage cocoa farmers to increase their yield would be undermined by some of the workers.

When an official of the Cocoa Service Division, Mr E. K. Danso was contacted, he confirmed the story and said two leaders of the spraying gangs at Densuso had been arrested and were helping the police in their investigations.

Meanwhile, according to Mr Danso, through the efforts of the unit committees, ten cartons of "cocostar" stolen last year had been recovered.