CEO of GRATIS Foundation, Mr. Emmanuel Asiedu has stated that previously when you plant a cocoa seed, it took about seven (7) years to bear fruit but currently there is a type of cocoa that bears fruit in three (3) years after planting. He said recently there is a machine that helps farmers to remove the pots from the cocoa unlike previously when cutlass is being used.
He explained that the machine used to remove the pods, grinds it like maize. Mr. Emmanuel however went on to express worries about the challenge that farmers face when trying to transport their cocoa. According to him, most farmers do not have adequate vehicular roads leading to their farms.
This goes a long way to affect the transportation of their cocoa from their farms to the roadside. This is also a challenge because it makes it difficult for them to carry the machine to their farms to help them remove the cocoa seeds from the pods.
He concluded that both the COCOBOD and the Government should collaborate with one another to enable them construct good roads through the cocoa farms to promote easy access to the farms.
Christiana Ntiamoah/ritefmonline.org
