Assessment of storage facilities for cocoa beans in the Asante Mampong cocoa district in the Ashanti Region
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Date
2016
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Abstract
This study assessed storage facilities for cocoa beans in the Asante Mampong Cocoa District of the Ashanti Region. Fifty employees with the relevant technical, operational and functional backgrounds who were involved in the handling and transportation of cocoa beans were sampled from Licensed Cocoa Buyers using snow ball sampling technique. Structured questionnaires were administered to them and personal observation was also made. Storage facilities were sampled in twenty-three communities in the district for the study. Storage problems identified were insect infestation (80%), rodent attacks (16%) and mouldiness (4%). The problem with moldiness according to the respondents was managed by drying of cocoa beans and proper sanitation in and around the storage rooms. The results of the regression test value R= 0.118 showed that there was a weak relationship between the management of storage facilities and storage problems which ultimately affects quality of cocoa beans. On the cut test, good beans recorded from the shed storage condition (50) was significantly higher than the amount recorded from the store storage condition (38.3), t (28) = 9.619, p<0.001. However, purple bean recorded from the store storage condition (22.52) was significantly higher than the amount recorded from the shed storage condition (15.1), t (28) = -5.993, p<0.001. Similarly, waste bean recorded from the store storage condition (35.47) was also significantly higher than the amount recorded from the shed (32.3), t (28) = -2.439, p<0.05. Regarding chemical test, the mean free fatty acid recorded from the shed was 1.65% and the amount recorded from the store was 2.35%. The mean free fatty acid in the cocoa beans kept in the store was significantly higher than those kept in the shed, t (28) = -5.402, p<0.001. Aspergillus tamari, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium spp, Rhizopus spp, Colletotrium spp, Curvularia spp,were found on the samples, but that of the store had higher presence of the fungi than the shed. This indicated that, generally, when cocoa beans are kept in shed, the occurrence of moulds could be prevented than when they are kept in store rooms.
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A thesis submitted to The School of Research and Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Master of Science (M.Phil. Postharvest Technology) Degree,