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Nigeria targets 500,000 tonnes of cocoa in 10 years

By on March 26, 2014

The Federal Produce Inspection Service on Tuesday said that Nigeria planned to increase cocoa production to 500,000 tonnes in 10 years.

A First Chief Control Officer of the service, Mr Israel Ikwejulor, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

Ikwejulor said that this could be achieved as the Federal Government had begun distribution of hybrid cocoa seeds developed by the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria.

He observed that the hybrid cocoa seed would take about two to three years to mature as against five years maturity span of older seeds.

“The Federal Government is investing heavily on cocoa production and regeneration of cocoa plantations by way of giving farmers hybrid cocoa seeds.

“We presently produce about 250,000 tonnes of cocoa, but government is working at doubling that amount to 500,000 tonnes per season in another 10 years.

“The cocoa seeds we used to have will take five years to mature, but the hybrid seeds will take between two to three years,” Ikwejulor said.

The control officer also noted that the land was available and weather was favourable in the country.

Ikwejulor said all these coupled with government’s support for farmers would make 500,000 tonnes target to be achieved.

According to him, Nigeria is not a cocoa consuming country, something he said, is a hindrance to processing cocoa into cakes, liquor and powder.

“Nigeria is not a cocoa consuming nation. This is why the Federal Government exports cocoa beans and cocoa beans exporters have government’s support through the export processing grant.

“Meanwhile, processors are urging government to stop exportation of cocoa beans so that local consumption of cocoa cakes, liquor and butter can be encouraged,’’ he said.

He noted that between the cocoa exporter and the cocoa processor, the exporter had the upper hand in buying cocoa beans for export.

 

 

[Punch]