Cocoa production target: Farmers tell FG to match words with action

Cocoa farmers in Nigeria have urged the federal government to back up its plans with action as it aims to increase the country’s cocoa production from the present 340,000 tonnes to 500,000 tonnes by 2024.

Nigeria’s agriculture minister, Mohammad Abubakar had Tuesday, last week, projected the increase during a courtesy visit by Arrion Michel, the executive director, International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) in Abuja.

Thomas Ekpenriebe, vice chairman, Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN), Edo chapter, while speaking with newsmen in Benin City on the challenges disrupting the cocoa industry in Edo State and Nigeria at large, said Africa’s largest economy has a vast land area and resources to boost its cocoa production and compete with Ivory Coast and Ghana to be the top producer across the globe.

“I heard they want to increase cocoa metric tonnes. They need to be practical about it. We have good land just like that of Cote d’Ivoire. Cote d’Ivoire is one of the major producers of cocoa and it is not up to two states in Nigeria but they are doing well because their government prioritises cocoa.

“Also, in Ghana, cocoa is their major source of income before Gold but nobody is looking at cocoa in Nigeria,” Ekpenriebe said.

Ekpenriebe, who said cocoa can drive the Nigerian economy just like it did five decades ago, advised the government to add cocoa drinks to the school feeding program for pupils in order to encourage local consumption.

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He, however, lamented the dearth of government intervention for cocoa farmers, which, according to him, has compelled most players in the industry to resort to self-help.

“We are praying that the Obaseki-led government intervenes in cocoa just like he is doing in rice, cashew among others”, he said.

Besides limited intervention funds, he listed other challenges to include drought, fire outbreak, unfriendly weather, climate change, transportation and logistics.

“Since June 1, we have not seen rain in our area and this is when farmers are supposed to be transplanting cocoa but no rain. Before you know it, the dry season will set in and the cocoa may die. This is a threat to cocoa because people are now diverting from cocoa to oil palm because it resists weather,” he said.