The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has insisted that the suspension of the free fertiliser programme has had more efficient outcomes for cocoa farmers.
Speaking on Citi TV’s The Point of View, the Public Affairs Manager of COCOBOD, Fiifi Boafo, said critics of the suspension are basing their concerns on assumptions.
The flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress, John Mahama, said he will re-introduce the free fertiliser programme for cocoa farmers if elected.
He feels cocoa farmers are being burdened by self-financing their own fertiliser purchases.
Mr. Boafo, however, noted that farmers were not benefiting wholly from the fertilisers because of smuggling.
COCOBOD also suspended the free distribution of fertiliser to farmers as a measure to curb smuggling.
There were instances where the fertiliser was sighted in other West African countries.
“It is a clear indication to you that when they tell you fertiliser was given to Ghanaian cocoa farmers, that was not the case.”
In addition, Mr. Boafo said his checks indicated that the farmers were not given enough fertiliser for their work.
“The true beneficiaries did not get them. They were getting one or two or three bags. In some cases, they were not getting it at all.”
But now, he explained that despite, the subsidized cost, the government transports the fertiliser for farmers in the needed quantities, unlike before.
“This time around, we take the fertiliser and transport it to them in their villages which they benefit from…What has happened now is that we do not tell you it is for free and then give you what we want or what we wish to give you.”
This also cut out transport costs for farmers, among others.
The payment for the fertiliser is also flexible for the farmers, Mr. Boafo added.
“When they transport it to your village, COCOBOD has already paid 53 percent of that amount of money. The remaining amount of money which you have to pay as a farmer, what you do is you apply the fertiliser and after harvesting, you pay for it.”
