Abia ready to establish cocoa processing industry

Abia State Government has said that it would soon establish Cocoa Processing Industry in the state to boost the fortunes of the product and encourage farmers.

Ikechukwu Emetu, deputy governor, who disclosed this at the Government House Umuahia while interacting with Cocoa farmers drawn from 16 potential LGAs of the state, reiterated the resolve of the government to turn around the fortunes of Cocoa production in the state by ensuring that Cocoa farmers are mobilised and trained to retain its rightful position in the country.

The Deputy Governor pointed out during the meeting which also had in attendance members of the State Cocoa Transformation Committee and Major Stakeholders in Cocoa Agro Business that the meeting was to acquaint them with Government policy direction and thrust on Cocoa production and also remind them of the importance of Cocoa production in the economy of the state and nation at large.

Emetu also disclosed that Nigeria was the largest exporter of Cocoa after Ivory Coast and Ghana.

He stressed that Cocoa farming contributes to the food security by providing income and nutrition to several people as it could also be used as organic fertilizers, provision of raw materials for industries as well as serve as a source of foreign exchange and blood pressure and sugar control.

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The Deputy Governor, who lamented that Agbozu Cocoa Estate in Uzuakoli in Bende LGA has been leased out, directed the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture to furnish him with the lease agreement for necessary action.

In his remarks, Okey Ihedioha, permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, said that apart from the Cocoa farm at Agbozu, there are other farm producing belts in Ibere, Ikwuano and Itumbuzo in Bende LGA and expressed confidence that with the encouragement and support from government, the Ministry could bounce back to improve Cocoa production in the state.

In their various remarks, Cocoa Desk Officer, Ojo Uma and the Chairman, Abia State Chapter of Cocoa Association of Nigeria, John Kalu said the state was ranked 8th among Cocoa producing and stressed the need to encourage Cocoa farmers by subsidising and distributing improved Cocoa seedlings and inputs to them, commence yearly flag off of Cocoa planting season, training and retraining of farmers, inclusion of Abia in the Nigeria Cocoa Board and noted that Cocoa production has the potential of diversifying the state’s and nation economy.

Similarly, the representative of Cocoa Institute of Nigeria, Prince Olaniyi and Aloysius Mba of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture regretted that the only Government-owned Cocoa plantation has been leased out; pointing out that Abia has one of the best Cocoa seeds in the country.

They also stressed the need for a functional model to check leakages and assured that the state would not be short-changed in getting its share from the Federal Government.