AGRICULTURE MINISTER Roger Clarke has announced an increase in the price paid per box to farmers for wet cocoa for the 2005/06 crop year.
Farmers will now receive $640 per box, up from $590, an increase of $40 per box. As is customary, farmers will be paid $500 for each box of wet cocoa upon delivery and the final payment of $140 per box made at the end of the crop year.
INCREASED DIFFICULTIES
Naburn Nelson, secretary manager of the Cocoa Industry Board, said the Ministry decided to increase the payment to farmers given the increased difficulties they have been experiencing with the recent natural disasters.
Mr. Nelson said the recent hurricanes and floods have affected many farmers, resulting in a decline in cocoa production. He said the country is expected to miss the 1,500-ton quota by 800 tonnes by the end of the crop year due to the damage to cocoa farms. In the meantime, however, he said farmers have been encouraged by the price increase and were reaping all they could find.
