- NEPC Trains 750 Cocoa Exporters in Cross River
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council, in collaboration with the Cocoa Association of Nigeria, has developed the Zero-Oil Plan Initiative, which will lead to the growth of cocoa export.
According to the organisations, the decision is in line with the efforts of the Federal Government to diversify to non-oil exports.
To this end, the NEPC said it trained 750 farmers and export merchants of cocoa beans in Ikom, Cross River State, recently.
The Acting Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, NEPC, Mr. Abdullahi Sidi-Aliyu, said available records had shown that cocoa and cocoa products’ earnings were $338.17m, “accounting for 20.8 per cent of the total non-oil exports value for Nigeria in the year 2015; with $242.23m representing 20.13 per cent in the year 2016.”
Sidi-Aliyu, who was represented by a deputy director in the agency, Mrs. Veronica Oriare, noted that cocoa from Nigeria had remained consistently profitable for several decades and rated the best because of its “flavour and aroma.”
He encouraged cocoa farmers to put more efforts to achieve massive production for exports, saying that cocoa production in the country was as competitive as those from Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire until 1984.
Sidi-Aliyu stated, “As of 2015, while Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana could boast of a production level of about 1.7 million metric tonnes and 800,000 metric tonnes, respectively, Nigeria’s production still hovers around 220,000 to 250,000 metric tonnes per annum.
“The essence of the non-oil plan is to ensure massive agro products.”
In a key note address, Mr. Afolabi Bello of the NEPC said that the training was targeted at providing stakeholders with a global outlook for Nigerian cocoa, “with a focus on the international market requirements and appropriate pricing templates.”
“The training programme was geared at equipping the target audience with current quality trends and issues that conform to buyers’ requirements in the European and United States cocoa markets,” Afolabi stated.
The President, Cocoa Association of Nigeria/Vice President World Cocoa Producers Organisation, Mr. Sayina Riman, said there was a need for empowerment in agriculture, adding, “If government synergises with the true cocoa stakeholders, the entire country will have good results.”
The Commissioner, Ministry for Commerce and Industry, Cross River State, Mr. Peter Egba, said the state government remained committed to the agricultural projects in the state and meeting the needs of the people.
The commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Administration in the ministry, Mr. Thomas Atem, said the Governor Ben Ayade-led administration had invested massively in agriculture.
“Having a rice city, cocoa processing plant and other projects going on across the state will surely boost the state economy and ensure that the produce are ready for export,” he added.
