Cocoa farmers battle declining yields in Bono East
Cocoa farmers in parts of the Bono East Region are recording declining yields as prolonged sunshine and erratic rainfall continue to affect production. A 65-year-old farmer, Ms Rebecca Owusuaa, from Boakyekrom, near Nsuta in the Techiman Municipality, said output from her five-acre farm had fallen from 28 bags per season to 17 bags last year, … The post Cocoa farmers battle declining yields in…
Cocoa farmers in parts of the Bono East Region are experiencing a decline in yields due to prolonged sunshine and erratic rainfall. Ms Rebecca Owusuaa, a 65-year-old farmer from Boakyekrom, near Nsuta in the Techiman Municipality, reported that her five-acre farm's output dropped from 28 bags per season to 17 bags last year, with a projected decrease to only 10 bags this season.
She attributed the decline to changing weather patterns and urged the government to expand irrigation schemes for cocoa farms. Mr Samuel Fosu, a 26-year veteran of the cocoa business, also saw his production drop from 68 bags per season to 48 bags over the past three years. He adopted various climate change adaptation measures, such as planting shade trees and using organic manure, to improve productivity.
Fosu called for fair producer prices, better earnings to encourage young people to take up cocoa farming, and improved road access to facilitate transportation of produce to market.
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