Quite a number of cocoa farmers in the country are said to be using unprescribed methods in the fermentation process of cocoa beans.
According to the Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute, Dr Isaac Opoku, some of the unprescribed methods include the use of mosquito nets, plastics, fertilizer bags among others.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a Fine Flavour Cocoa project handing-over at Offinso in the Ashanti Region, Dr Opoku advised coca farmers to desist from the use of such methods as aside posing dangers to the health of consumers, affect the quality of cocoa beans as well as market demand.
“We have noticed that some use, mosquito nets, plastics and even fertilizer bags which contain chemicals, and that is not the best because it affects the quality of the cocoa beans and subsequently the fine flavour of the cocoa beans,” he said.
According to the institute, the approved methods of cocoa fermentation process is the use of banana or plantain leaf.
“The advantage of using this method is that you are bale to charge a premium for the fine flavour present in the beans,” he added.
