Manyo Ojong, national vice president of Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) Paul has said that Cross River State exports over 80, 000 metric tons (MT) of cocoa beans annually.
Manyo who is also the managing director of PAMAO and Associate Nigeria Ltd and vice chairman of the State Technical Management Committee on Cocoa made this known at the first Calabar Business and Private Sector Forum with the Theme, ‘Making Calabar the Hub of Import and Export in Nigeria’ Organized by the Nigeria Private Sector Alliance (NIPSA).
“For the past fifteen years, CAN has been encouraging increase production of cocoa by supporting farmers with hybrid seedlings,” he said.
“More private investors are investing in cocoa production in the state. Youths are now getting involved in cocoa producing also,” he further said.
Most farmers noted that most smallholder farmers in the state have a holding of less than 2.5 hectares used for cocoa plantation.
He said cocoa initially accounted for nearly 70% of the nation’s export earnings in the 70’s, which provides income to the Federal Government as well as host communities, and created employment for Nigerians.
He called for the dredging of the Calabar port at regular interval to enable larger vessels come into the port to decongest the Apapa port.
Eta Ndoma Egba, president of the Calabar Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture in his opening remarks said the chamber has been at the forefront in advocating for the capital dredging of the Calabar port channel.
This he said will remove the draft limitations as well as the sizes of vessels that can call at the port.
He commended Bright Flow Logistics and (NIPSA) for organizing the forum as it ties with the chamber’s objectives of facilitating a friendly business environment and making the state a competitive trade and investment destination.
In a welcome address, Anie Iton, the convener of the First Calabar Business and Private Sector Forum said the objectives of the forum is to sensitize stakeholders on existing business opportunities in the state.
“It is my conviction that Calabar business environment is capable of creating jobs and wealth for our citizens and significantly contributes to GDP of the country; I have been around for quite some time to witness how the lives of our people turn positively, while our state economy improved when vessels discharged in Calabar”
Emmanuel Etim, state trade promotion advisor, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Calabar said his agency over the years have been advocating for the promotion of export base commodities.
He said the event is timely as there is need to have a zero oil economy and less dependent on oil revenue as a source of foreign exchange.
Mike Abang, Calabar
