Percival Yaw Kuranchie, Board Chairman of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has decried the upsurge of cocoa smuggling in the country. He said despite the numerous investments that government has injected into the sector, cocoa farmers continue to send their produce to neighbouring countries like Cote d’Ivoire for better prices. He called on stakeholders to come together to help find a lasting solution to the problem. Mr. Kuranchie was speaking at a three-day workshop in Accra on Cocoa Sector Strategy Document II, which is aimed at improving the cocoa sector. Giving a background to the strategic document, the Chief Executive of COCOBOD Anthony Fofie said, “The first Cocoa Sector Development Strategy was approved by government in April 1999 after extensive consultations with all stakeholders.” He revealed that the objective of the first strategy was to increase and sustain production to enhance the income of farmers. “These were to be achieved through effective internal and external marketing, adequate incentives for farmers through payment of remunerative producer price, streamlining of cocoa research and extension services to make the operations of COCOBOD more efficient. “After implementing the first strategy document for 10 years and in the light of the current happenings in both the world cocoa economy and domestic scene, it became necessary to review the existing strategy document,” he stressed. Mr. Fofie said his outfit, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, reviewed the first strategy document to form the basis for the preparation of the new one. He indicated that with the new strategy, emphasis would be laid on the adoption of modern production technologies to improve planting materials, husbandry practices, inorganic fertilizers, diseases and pest control. He stated that “the strategy would also seek to make the cocoa industry more efficiently and effectively in the modern business arena.” Mr. Fofie called on participants to consider the workshop as a call to national duty since “the discussions would address current issues in the cocoa industry. The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffour also called on the participants to provoke discussions on some issues related to the recent oil discovery in Ghana, adding that “they should come out with strategies which would re-position the cocoa industry to ensure that it continues to play its role in the socio-economic development of the Ghanaian economy.” Source: Daily Guide/Ghana