Agroecom to pay premium to cocoa farmers

The management of Agroecom Ghana Ltd, a leading cocoa purchasing company in the country, has announced the payment of $5m as premium to its clients (cocoa farmers) for the 2015/2016 season.

More than 100,000 cocoa farmers across the country are to benefit from the package to sell 40,920 tonnes of certified cocoa to the company from some of its project development areas in the country.

Each farmer is expected to receive GH¢12 bonus for each bag of cocoa sold to the company.

The premium comes as a result of the certification of cocoa sold by the farmers to the purchasing company of their choice.

The Deputy Country Head of the company, Mr Nicholas Kuma, said the premium payment was to encourage the farmers to produce more for both the local and the international markets.

Mr Kuma made the announcement at a farmers’ durbar at New Edubiase in the Adansi South District in the Ashanti Region and Asankragwa in the Amenfi West District in the Western Region.

The durbar, which had the theme: “Cocoa sustainability- a key to improving farmers productivity,’’ brought together cocoa farmers from New Edubiase, Asante Bekwai, Nyinahin, Praso, Twifo Praso, Mankranso, Suhum, Asankragwa, Sankore, Asumura, Kasapine, Dunkwa, Tepa, Wasa Akropong, Tarkwa and Bogoso among other towns.

Collaboration

Mr Kuma said the company, in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES),had set up 75 Village Resource Centres in some selected rural schools to ensure that the pupils had access to Information and Communication Technology.

He said to ensure sustainability in the cocoa industry, the company had trained more than 100,000 cocoa farmers across the country on best practices in farming to enhance and increase yield.

The Deputy Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Mr James Kofi Kutuase, commended the company and its subsidiary groups for their roles in the cocoa industry.

Some of the cocoa farmers at the durbar at New Edubiase.

Ranking

He announced that Agroecom Ghana was now ranked second in the cocoa industry, with the Produce Buying Company being first in the country.

Mr Kutuase urged farmers to take keen interest in climate change issues to know when to plant and manage their farms in general to avoid losses.

He said there was the need for farmers to plant trees on their farms to provide shade for their crops and maintain moisture.

The Sustainability General Manager, Agroecom, Ms Olga Gormalora, announced that the company had put in place measures to ensure that many women were involved in the cocoa industry.

She appealed to women to take active roles in the cocoa industry since women’s involvement was very crucial.