The hostilities between Russia and Ukraine will have negative impact on cocoa production in Ghana for at least two years, the Ghana Cocoa Board has predicted.
This is because Russia’s military operation in Ukraine has affected fertiliser production and importation as the Cocoa Research Institute, Ghana (CRIG) would not get the essential inputs, fertilizers and chemicals for their research works.
“Ukraine is affected by the fighting so getting our sulphate of ammonia is going to be difficult. Belarus and Russia are centres where we get our basic elements and with the situation there, it is going to be difficult for us in the coming years.
“The coming years are not going to be easy for the cocoa sector in Ghana” Chief Executive Officer of the Board, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, fears.
He made this observation when he inaugurated yesterday, the management committees of the three subsidiaries of the COCOBOD – CRIG, Seed Production Development (SPD) and the Cocoa Health Extension Division (CHED).
The three organs of the COCOBOD have the mandate to conduct research into the sector, develop their production for mass cultivation and after plantation counselling and guidance to ensure the crops produced the expected yields.
Mr Aidoo said that with the ravages of the Coronavirus pandemic still having effect on the sector, the Russia-Ukraine war could further worsen the plight of cocoa farmers in the country.
“We have gone through very difficult times in the past two years because of COVID-19 and almost everything has been thrown overboard.
“The severity of COVID-19 is now being felt within the cocoa industry than ever. Even doing shipment these days is very difficult and getting contracts through has also not been easy at all because of the effects of the pandemic,” he said.
As a result he tasked the committees at separate inauguration ceremonies to step up the plate and provide alternatives as to how the country could look within to remain food self reliant.
“In these difficult times, we are calling on the new management to give leadership. We want you to provide leadership that would provide prudence at the management of affairs at the agencies of the COCOBOD.”
Chairperson for the 11-member CRIG Management Committee, Professor Joseph Opoku Fening, on behalf of his committee and the other two, said being very much aware of the disruptions COVID-19 had caused the world and lately the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Committees would put their shoulders to the wheel to ensure the cocoa sector did not come to a standstill.
“We wish to pledge that we will bring our expertise together so that at the end of our tenure, nothing but the best would be achieved,” Professor Fening said.
With 11 members each, the Management Committees of the SPD and the CHED are Rev Professor Hans Adu-Dapaah and Professor Festus KwabenaAnnor-Fremoong respectively.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
