Cocoa trees disappearing; rubber plantations taking over

If the government of Ghana, through the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), does not act swiftly, the cocoa sector of the economy will collapse in the near future following the sale of cocoa farms to rubber companies for rubber plantation, William Botei, a cocoa farmer in Asikaso near Asamankese in the Eastern Region of Ghana, has lamented.

He told Kwabena Prah Jnr (The Don) on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM Monday May 13 that, cocoa farms in several parts of the region are being destroyed by privately-owned companies who intend to use the plots for rubber plantation.

“Cocoa is our national treasure and not rubber. So if you allow private companies to destroy cocoa trees for their plantation you are gradually killing our national treasure,” he said.

He added: “It is very sad how private companies are cutting down cocoa trees in the region for rubber plantation. If you ask them why they are doing that the only answer they give is that the plots have been sold to them.

“If we don’t stop this trend, cocoa will collapse and we will not have anything to boast of as a country. Ghana has over the years been noted for cocoa growing and not rubber

Meanwhile, Nana Attakora, Chief Cocoa Farmers at Sefwi Akontonbra-Bokaso has revealed that for the past two years cocoa farmers in the area have not received fertilisers from the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).

He said this situation has negatively affected the business of cocoa farmers, for which the government must intervene quickly to deal with the situation.

He also recounted that the cocoa trees are being attacked by pesticides and therefore, called on the COCOBOD to scale up the mass cocoa spraying exercise.

Mr Attakora told The Don that: “For the past two years we have not received fertilisers from the government.

“This situation is affecting our work and so we plead with the government and COCOBOD to come to our aid.”

“Apart from this,” he said, “pests are also attacking the cocoa trees. If the government does not act quickly it will mean that our efforts will go waste.