He said it was in their own interest - to assist the farmer to obtain not less than 10 bags of cocoa per acre. He was speaking at a farmers’ rally held at Kyeremase in the Birim Central Municipality. Mr. Boitey said the other high point was that it could help the farmer to determine the number of bags of cocoa they could harvest from their farms.

He also used the occasion to highlight the need for farmers to protect water bodies and said, that was important to ensure that there was water for irrigation of their farms. Mr. Benjamin Donkor, an award winning cocoa farmer, encouraged the youth to take to cocoa growing, indicating that, it was rewarding.

He said it was time farming was seen as a business with good returns.

The Asamankese Cocoa District Officer, Mr. Isaac Adu, said the purpose of the rally was to provide a platform for stakeholders in the industry to discuss ways of increasing cocoa production. The farmers appealed for the improvement of roads in the area for smooth evacuation of cocoa.

They also want a borehole constructed for the Kyeremase clinic and the cocoa office at Akroso re-opened to enable them to get access to services and technical support.