Students from Indiana State University in the United States of America on Tuesday paid a visit to the offices of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to see at first hand how its operations are conducted.
Briefing the students about the objectives of the Board, Mr Francis Osei-Wusu, Deputy Director, said they undertook, promoted and encouraged scientific research aimed at improving the quality of cocoa, coffee, sheanut and other tropical crops.
Mr Osei-Wusu said the functions of COCOBOD centred on production, research, extension, internal and external marketing and quality control.
These are classified into two main sectors - pre-harvest and post-harvest which are performed by specialized divisions of the Board.
He said the pre-harvest sector functions were performed by the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), the Seed Production Unit (SPU) and the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease Control Unit (CSSVDCU).
"The post-harvest Sector functions are undertaken by the Quality Control Division (QCD) and the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) Limited," he said.
Mr Osei-Wusu told the students that post-harvest activities started with quality control measures which farmers must observe to facilitate the acceptance of their produce at the buying centres by the licensed buying companies engaged in internal marketing of cocoa.
Ms Laurie Colglazier on behalf of the students thanked COCOBOD for briefing them about the activities of the board.
She said the visit to the country was to see how critical and important sectors of the Ghanaian economy operated.