According to him, the significant impact of weather patterns on cocoa cultivation, including heavy rainfall at the start of the cocoa season is a primary concern.

While acknowledging that rainfall is essential for cocoa production, he noted that the excessive precipitation experienced this season hindered the fruiting process, thus reducing the expected harvest.

Furthermore, Mr Boafo highlighted the detrimental effects of severe harmattan conditions on cocoa pods, exacerbating the situation.

Mr Boafo gave this explanation when he was contributing to a discussion on Ghana’s struggling cocoa industry on JoyNews’ PM Express on Wednesday, March 27.

“The major contributory factor for low cocoa production is the weather situation we’ve experienced this cocoa season. It started with a heavy rainfall. Then it got to a time where you expected the pods you had to develop for you to harvest then we experienced severe harmattan.

“So this El Niño challenge is largely a contributory factor to the low production we experienced this year,” he told host Evans Mensah.

Mr Boafo also highlighted the swollen shoot disease that has plagued cocoa production.

Giving more details, he said about 590,000 hectares of cocoa farms in Ghana have been affected by the said disease.

Given that, these farms are under rehabilitation and are not producing cocoa beans at the moment.

“At the moment, about 590,000 hectares of cocoa farms in Ghana have been affected by swollen shoot and so it is affecting production. Indeed, we are rehabilitating some of these affected farms. And since the only known solution is cutting the affected trees, all the affected farms are not fruiting at the moment, “he said.

Ghana, one of the world’s leading cocoa producers, has been grappling with declining cocoa production in recent years.

The challenges posed by unpredictable weather patterns, illegal mining, and smuggling among others further exacerbate the already existing pressures on the industry, with repercussions felt both domestically and globally.

Currently, there is a global shortage of cocoa beans, thus shooting up the price of one tonne of cocoa to an unprecedented amount of $10,000.

However, research shows that Ghana might not significantly benefit from this increment since cocoa production has also significantly dropped this year.

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A senior meteorologist at GMet, Joshua Asamoah indicated that there will be occasional light rains even when clouds form, advising the public to seek shelter in safe places during this period.

“As we are gearing towards the main rainy season, there will be light rains even when the clouds form to pour, however, there will be more winds, thunders and lightnings preceding the rains.

“So, we urge members of the public to find a safe shelter to stay whenever it begins to rain this time, to protect themselves from the winds, thunders and lightning,” he said.

Mr Asamoah made these remarks during an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the sidelines of a stakeholder and media training workshop centered on the VOLTALARM Early Warning System.

The VOLTALARM Early Warning System, developed by GMet and its partners, is designed to provide timely warnings about floods and droughts to residents within the Volta basins.

This system is an integral part of the Volta Flood and Drought Management (VFDM) project, a collaborative effort among Ghana and its neighbouring countries bordering the Volta River, aimed at mitigating flood and drought risks along the lake.

Mr Asamoah emphasised that the VOLTALARM system would enable communities within the Volta basins to better prepare for potential floods and droughts, particularly during the discharge of water from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso.

He outlined plans to enhance capacity-building and collaboration among stakeholders and the media to raise awareness among communities within the basins.

This effort includes establishing a platform for stakeholders, including the media and local community members, to receive regular updates on flood and drought situations.

Additionally, Mr Asamoah revealed ongoing efforts to develop a Multi-Hazard Warning System for areas beyond the Volta basin, ensuring broader access to critical updates on environmental hazards.

“From December 2022 to February 2023, the number of dry weather conditions, cloudless skies, and hot days across most parts of the country will gradually increase,” the agency stated in its 2022/2023 dry harmattan season advisory dated November 24, 2022, and signed by the Acting Director- General of the agency Eric Assuman.

The agency, however, indicated that there could still be occasional periods of moisture influx that could result in one or two rainy days, especially for the coastal towns and cities.

It explained that, generally, the suspension of minute dust particles and aerosols would dominate the atmosphere during the season.

“Relatively cool nights and mornings are anticipated for the Northern and Transition Zones of Ghana.

Poor visibility values will range between less than one km and approximately five km due to advection of dust particles from the dust source region”, it added.

It said most place in the southern to transition belt of the country including inland water areas: lakes, rivers, ponds and streams will experience a prevalence of early morning mist and fog patches.

“During this period, dry and hazy weather conditions with varying intensities are expected over most parts of the country with increase in hotspot activities in the fire-prone areas of the country”, it explained further, adding that relative humidity values are expected to range between 15 per cent and 70 per cent.

The statement, therefore, advised the public to handle naked fire cautiously, especially palm wine tappers, cigarette smokers and hunters.

It also asked the public to keep hydrated by taking in enough water, avoid cracked skin by moisturising one’s body and providing warm clothing for children during the night and dawn hours.

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The statement urged the public to contact the Director of Synoptic Meteorology and Forecasting Joseph Tetteh Portuphy or Papa Nii Cleg, Head of Public Relations Unit or Felicity Ahafianyo head of the Central Analysis & Forecasting office on +233-303-965-563 or +233-(0) 55-353-8292 for attention.

Northern regions, precautions

The statement also advised people living in the five northern regions as well as part of the Oti, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions to follow precautions.

These include; handling naked fire cautiously, especially palm wine tappers, cigarette smokers and hunters; keeping hydrated by taking in enough water; avoiding cracked skin by moisturizing their bodies; and wearing of warm clothing for kids during the night and dawn hours.

The statement also said dry north-easterly winds from northern Africa had advected into the northern portions of the country over the past few days.

That, it said, had contributed to mostly clear skies, sunny, and dry weather conditions over the North East, Upper East, Upper West, and Savannah regions causing reduction in rainfall activities over southern Ghana.

“With reference to the 2022 seasonal forecast issued earlier in the year and based on continued surveillance and analysis of global and national forecast model charts by the GMET Seasonal Forecast Desk and the Central Analysis and Forecasting Office (CAFO), the unimodal2022 rainy season for Northern Ghana has ended and the 2022-2023 dry (harmattan) season is in force at its initial stage,” the statement noted.

It, therefore, assured the public of regular daily and weekly weather updates would be made available to the general public.