Danyo G.^1,, M.A. Anyiwe², Q.E. Osemwegie³

Cape Saint Paul Wilt Disease has destroyed several thousands of hectares of coconut plantings in the main coconut producing regions of Ghana namely, Western, Central, and Volta Regions. The capacity of the disease to decimate coconut populations in active disease foci threatens the coconut industry rehabilitation programmes in Ghana. This study critically evaluates the effect of Cape Saint Paul Wilt Disease on coconut yield, and verifies economic cost of the disease on coconut cultivation in Ghana, using robust econometric models and statistical analytical tools. Disease data from selected Coconut Sector Development Project’s Malayan Yellow Dwarf x Vanuatu Tall hybrid coconut farms spanning eight consecutive years (2008-2015) were used for this important study. Ordinary least squares regression of the data indicates, the disease has significant effect on coconut yield and that expected annual yield of diseased palms and price per unit nut are significant determinants of the economic cost of Cape Saint Paul Wilt Disease on coconut cultivation in Ghana. The disease can cause 100% crop losses if appropriate containment strategies are not implemented in time. These findings confirm the assertion of Danyo that, Cape Saint Paul Wilt Disease of coconut has a significant economic cost. An assertion corroborated much later by Osemwegie. However, compared to the latter, the economic cost of CSPWD on coconut yield is lesser; accentuating the knowledge that hybrid coconuts are less susceptible to the CSPWD than the pure lines.

coconut, cape saint paul wilt disease, epidemic cost, econometric modeling