Over 44 cocoa quality control agents were present yesterday at the conference room of the delegation of the Ministry of Trade for the Mefou and Afamba Division to receive training on the control of quality of cocoa beans marketed in the area. This was during a one-day workshop organised by the National Cocoa and Coffee Board, NCCB, under the framework of its project to improve on the internal marketing of cocoa.
Welcoming the participants and administrative officials, the Divisional Delegate of the Ministry of Trade for the Mefou and Afamba Division, Yves Placide Andela said the seminar was timely because quality control agents were facing difficulties operating in the Mefou and Afamba cocoa producing basin that accounts for the production of over 10,000 tonnes annually. “Last year, control agents suffered from the absence of verification tools so they could not do their jobs with efficiency,” he said.
The coordinator of the project to improve on the internal marketing of cocoa at the NCCB, Jean Assogo Angoula told the control agents their task was the key to ensuring that cocoa beans sold in the different cocoa markets meet standards of quality and international norms. He advised them to show professionalism and commitment while recommending morality, mastery of texts on cocoa marketing, sense of public service as well as assiduity in the follow up of markets. The participants were also reminded of the qualities of good cocoa beans which must be fermented, dried on a raised or cemented surface, have a humidity rate less than 8 per cent, must not have a smoky odour and have no vegetal, animal or mineral residues.
At the end of the seminar, the quality control agents received tools that included bean cutters and analysis tables to enable them control and classify cocoa beans before they are marketed.
