LAUNCH OF OPERATION 60 PODS PER TREE
Operation 60 pods per tree, a strategy to increase yield has been launched at Nankese, a farming community near Akwadum in the Eastern Region. The approach is an intervention to help sustain cocoa industry and complement cocobod's ongoing productivity programme (PEPs).
Addressing farmer cooperatives at the launch, the Executive Director of the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED), Dr. Emmanuel Nii Tackie otoo commended officers of the Nankese District for the strategy to boost productivity. He also praised the cooperatives for throwing their weight behind the initiative.
"I a m very delighted for what I am seeing today, unity among you and I thank God that finally you can attest and proclaim the good news of Cocobod" he said.
According to him, farmers can only achieve the Operation 60 pods project if they adhere to cocobod's ongoing Productivity Enhancement Programme (PEP's) to achieve maximum results.
Touching on Cocobod's PEPs, Dr. Nii Tackie stressed the need for the farmers to allow their diseased farms to be cut and for those whose farms are in good shape, pruned to enable more pod setting for increased yield.
"If you don't allow your farm to be pruned for flower development and the artificial pollination for more pods, your yield will reduce", he added.
He further stressed the need for all the cocoa famers in the district to join cooperatives to enable the Board deal easily with them.
According to him, "forming cooperatives gives the farmer more privilege like, free access to subsidised fertilizer, the newly introduce motorized slasher/pruners among others.
He further encouraged all cocoa farmer cooperatives within the district and across all cocoa growing areas to challenge themselves just as the Nankese cooperative has done.
In attendance were the Omanhene of Nankese who chaired the function, some officials from the Cocoa Health and Extension Division as well as heads of security agencies in the district.
