Members of the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association are accusing Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) of not involving them in determining the producer price of Cocoa.
According to the president of Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association, Mr. Anane Boateng, the Association do not have a representative on the Producer Price Review Committee, the body that determines the farm gate price of cocoa every year.
Mr. Anane said even though there is a Cocoa Farmer Producer Price Review Committee, the person in question was not appointed by Cocoa Farmers Association of Ghana to represent them on the board.
Mr. Anane Boateng was speaking to Oyerepa after a workshop organised by the Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association (GARDJA) to educate journalists about issues affecting the growth of the Cocoa sector in Kumasi.
He said the person representing cocoa farmers on the Producer Price Review Committee is either a staff of COCOBOD or an award winner but not a Small Holder Cocoa Farmer.
Mr. Anane Boateng commended the Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association (GARDJA) for taking a keen interest in the affairs of Cocoa farmers in the country.
But in a sharp rebuttal, the Public Affairs Manager of COCOBOD, Mr. Fiifi Boafo, debunked the claim made by the president of Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association, Mr. Anane Boateng.
According to Fiifi Boafo, cocoa farmers are duly represented on Cocoa-Cofee-Shea nut Association, contrary to Mr. Anane Boateng’s claim.
He mentioned Nana Johnson Mensah, Western South chief farmer, and Nana Obeng Akrofi, a member of the Eastern Regional COCOBOD, as some key cocoa farmers who are on the Producer Price Review Committee.