As an association, CRIN urges its members to buy good quality beans
Nigerian cocoa farmers were urged to prevent the rejection of cocoa exports by avoiding poor agronomic practices that could jeopardize the efforts and resources of international market players.
Indeed, smallholder cocoa farmers lose almost 60 billion naira a year because they are excluded from the living income differential (LID) of $400 paid above the floor price for cocoa on the international Good Agricultural Practices market ( EPS).
The Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) said the poor quality of Nigerian cocoa reported by our international buyers, processors and exporters necessitates advocacy to educate and train cocoa farmers on sustainable cocoa production.
CFAN National Chairman Comrade Adeola Adegoke said this during the recent distribution of a Cocoa GAP Handbook to smallholder farmers in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
Adegoke said: “And the EU’s recent introduction of ‘due diligence legislation’ and the threat to reject all cocoa beans that are not sustainably sourced (from farm to fork) have informed our collective decision to save our cocoa industry.The scenario of poor quality cocoa beans could no longer be tolerated as a cocoa producing country and as the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria.
“We want to return to the days when Nigeria was considered the producer of the finest quality cocoa beans, known today as premium beans. Our smallholder cocoa farmers need to be educated, guided and supported on responsible and acceptable international cocoa practices in accordance with the law/due diligence framework without any excuses.
According to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigeria is the world’s fourth largest producer of cocoa, covering a 6.5% share of global production.
The global market for cocoa beans, Adegoke said, is valued at $10 billion, while the total value of all finished cocoa products is $200 billion a year, with chocolates alone accounting for $100 billion. billions of dollars.
He called on the government to provide an enabling environment for processing and value addition to maximize the benefits of being a major cocoa producing country.
He praised the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, describing his Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, as an artist who is often receptive to the problems of cocoa farmers in the state.
The free distribution of the GAP manual to all cocoa producing states and Ogun State, Adegoke said, marked the start of Nigeria’s path towards sustainable cocoa production and good agronomic practices in the supply chain. ‘supply.
He also commended partners such as Harvestfield Industries Limited, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), EBAFOSA, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment for their assistance in the production and distribution of training materials.
“We intend to change the 350 kg/400 kg per hectare in Nigeria and move it to 600 kg per hectare by 2024, with a target of 500,000 MT per year from the 340,000 MT currently produced; the low use of organic pesticides and fertilizers in cocoa production and failure to follow international best practices would also be reversed,” he said.
MEANWHILE, the Executive Director of CRIN, who was the guest, Dr Patrick Adebola, advised farmers to make good use of the book by following all the recommendations it contains from planting to harvesting, processing and storage. This, he said, would increase the quality of their cocoa beans and thus attract higher prices.
He also said that the proper use of the book would also eliminate the problem of pesticide residues and prevent the rejection of Nigerian cocoa beans in the international market.
“The book contains the list of agrochemicals recommended for use in cocoa plantations, including organic products, with high efficiency, non-persistence and no harm to the environment,” he said.
He congratulated CFAN for the success of the program and congratulated them for distributing the book free of charge to cocoa farmers in Ogun State.
