Association Decries Encroachment of Foreigners into Cashew Farmland

• Association Decries Encroachment of Foreigners into Cashew Farmland

The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has expressed dismay over the encroachment of foreigners into cashew farm gates.

According to the national president of the association, Tola Faseru the federal government has made it clear that cashew is one of the strategic crops that will be used to diversify Nigeria’s economy.

Faseru who spoke at the 2016 National Cashew Trade Administration Meeting of the association in Ogbomosho, Oyo state noted that the encroachment of foreigners has been causing distractions for local farmers and the consequence of this is low quality of products, reduced value at the international market and most importantly lower purchasing power for Nigerian farmers. “The encroachment into the farm gate by the foreigners is inimical to the value chain system and cuts off our locals from participating in the trade. Expatriates are positioned in the bushes to buy directly from the farmers thereby taking away the much needed jobs from our people.”

In his remarks, the former governor of Oyo state Chief Adebayo Alao Akala, who was also present at the event, frowned at the practice of foreigners bombarding the farm gates to buy cashew and said this should stop.

The representative of the Minister of Agriculture Mr. Mathew Omirigbe reassured the association that the federal government is working to see that Nigerian cashew becomes the toast in the International markets.

The chairman of the NCAN Trade Administration Committee, Alhaji Adeniji Adeyemi expressed his delight at the all inclusive decision made by members in disallowing encroachment of foreigners into cashew farm gates.