COCOBOD has partnered with Beft Agro Limited and Demeter Ghana Limited, two specialist importers of fertilisers to Ghana, to provide Cocoa Farmers in the Western Region with a new product called Omya Calciprill, to tackle soil acidity and boost cocoa yield. 

Omya Calciprill is a high-quality soil conditioner from Germany that is used to rid soils of any acidity and allows for yields to increase. 

Studies have shown that soil acidity is one of the major constraints for cocoa cultivation.

 It further limits the levels of key nutrients such as Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus. This according to researchers leads to low Cocoa yields which affect farmers. 

 The acidity of the soil in Western Region according to the Western South Regional Manager of Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) Samuel Ankamah, is very high as a result of the continuous rain pattern. 

At the sidelines of a two-day training for Cocoa extension officers and cocoa farmers on how to apply Omya Calciprill fertilizer, Mr Ankamah noted that the region, which has been classified as high rainfall zone with its associated high acidity level, will now rub shoulders with other productive areas.

“We are looking forward to working with Beft Agro and Demeter Ghana to educate the farmers about the issues of soil acidity in the Western Region. This has been a long-awaited dream which has come to pass.” 

Head of Fertilisers at Demeter Ghana, Nash Sulemena on his part stated that “From the studies that we have done across Ghana, it appears that the biggest limiting factor on yield increase in Cocoa is the high levels of acidity in the soil.” 

Co-founder of Beft Agro limited Frank Boateng said, the Western Region has long had an issue with soil acidity, which has severely hampered cocoa farmers’ yields.  

“We are very excited to introduce Cocoa farmers to Omya Calciprill as we know what a positive impact it will have on their lives,” Mr Boateng stressed. 

Studies conducted by the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) over the last two years have proven that Omya Calciprill can boost yields by 70%.  

With these results, COCOBOD has further requested that Beft Agro ltd and Demeter Ghana ltd conduct training seminars in conjunction with CHED for the farmers and Cocoa Extension officers in the Western Region in October 2019. 

The chief operating officer at Demeter Ghana, Bartie Stagg on his part stated that they are positive of the outcome in the Western region.