Agri Local

Mistletoe – The Horror Of Kyebi Cocoa Farmers

Cocoa farmers in the Kyebi district in the eastern region have decried the effects of mistletoe on their cocoa farms and have called for the government to come to their aid in order to combat the situation.

Mr Agyeman Amanor who vented his frustration on Rite fm today on the morning show said the mistletoe is a big challenge to the cocoa farmers. He said the response they got from the Cocoa help and extension division to their problem was that specialists tasked to perform that responsibility were currently on break leaving them to their fate. He said they were told to wait until the specialists return to their duties.

Mr Amanor however lamented that waiting for them to return before they get the needed attention could prove disastrous since this is the best time to deal with the current challenges the cocoa farmers are going through and that the mistletoe must be tackled before December or it will affect this years cocoa production.

He said farmers cannot do this themselves because they don’t have the requisite equipment.

Responding to the concerns of the farmers, Mr Okyere Boateng of the Cocoa Health and Extension Division confirmed the plight of the farmers but said farmers can no longer enjoy all the support for free.

He said in as much as farmers are giving free fertilizers and a lot of free services, they can take up the responsibility of clearing the mistletoe from their plants through their own efforts. He said the farmers can buy a standard pruner at the cost of Gh ₵ 330.00 from their various offices to clear the mistletoe on their own.

He said their doors were always opened to farmers for any support they needed.

Source: ritefmonline.org

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