Dr Frank Antwi, a research scientist at the Cocoa Research Institute at Akim Tafo announced plans to supply cocoa farmers with pesticides to avoid diversion of the product by some members of the spraying gang.
The measure is also aimed at ensuring that the correct amount of the chemicals are used to spray the farms to control diseases like capsid,
black pod and swollen shoot to increase cocoa production.
Dr Antwi made this known at a day's training workshop at Mpraeso in the Eastern Region for 50 spraying supervisors and local chief farmers drawn from the Kwahu South District.
The workshop was part of the Cocoa Disease and Pest Control Programme.
He said the mass cocoa spraying exercise was introduced in the country more than 50 years ago, which increased cocoa production by 500,000 metric tons.
Dr Antwi said when the exercise was stopped the crop production sank to 300,000 metric tons.
He noted that cocoa production went up to 700,000 metric tons when the mass cocoa spraying exercise was re-introduced a few years ago and urged the sprayers to put into effect the prescribed agro-chemicals.
Dr Antwi advised the sprayers to ensure the safe use of the chemicals and other pesticides since they could suffer side effects if they misapply the products.
The participants were taken through how to mix the agro-chemicals, spraying methods, how to dress during spraying and the maintenance of the
spraying machines.
The District Director of Agriculture, Mr John Nketia Genfie, asked the participants to put the knowledge acquired during the workshop into practice to eradicate the various diseases and pests that attack the cocoa trees and pods.
The gang supervisors appealed for the supply of protective equipment, uniforms and an increased in the allowances paid to them.