Let us free cocoa policy from self says MD, Ile Oluji Cocoa Company

cocoa

The Managing Director of the only surviving cocoa processing company, Ile Oluji and interim chairman of Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria (COPAN), Mr. Akin Olusuyi has described most of our agricultural policy especially the one on processing as very subjective rather than being rational. In his chat with Food Farm News, Mr. Olusuyi said the policy of government has not sufficiently supported processing of cocoa produce into products lamenting on the high cost of producing in Nigeria with low consumption of the produce. He spoke on so many other issues. Read his excerpt below.

Can you let us meet you officially sir?

My name is Akin Olusuyi, the managing Director, Cocoa Processing Company, Ile-Iluji, Ondo. Also I am the interim chairman of Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria.

I have known you for upward ten years with strong passion for cocoa production and processing development in Nigeria. From then till date what is the positive paradigm shift the produce have experienced that you will like to share with us or is there no positive difference from then till now?

Your question is one trillion naira question. Yes and No. let me start with the yes because the yes is very short while the no answer is longer. In terms of making progress, I will say yes as we still exist as processor, but I must confess everything is every day going into extinction unless something very drastic is done very quickly. And this brings me to the long “No”. Over the years, the processing link of the cocoa value chain has been a very big link but the link has been neglected for too long to the detriment of the economy and cocoa value chain itself. 

I have  made bold to say that in the whole of the value chain, two areas to me are very key like we have seen in the presentation of African Export-Import Bank  and with the realization that the International Cocoa Association are now realizing along that line. In cocoa economy of the world attention is given to these two key chains, which are production and processing. But unfortunately these are the two neglected areas in Nigeria. This is why our production assessment by the ICCO is putting us at the national output of 190,000 tons annually which is very shameful and unbelievable because Nigeria has all its takes in terms of fertile land and man power to produce far more than what she producing now. It is very ironical and shameful by world standard seeing Nigeria at 6^th position behind Cameroon and Ecuador. 

This is reflection of the level of neglect for the produce and agriculture generally. But the fact remains that Nigeria would not have been where we are if due attention has been given to cocoa in area of best production practice with efficient value addition being taken very seriously. Also the aspect of consumption encouragement must be taken also seriously. I am happy seeing International Cocoa Organization ( ICCO) and AFREXIMB coming together with an agenda to addressing these key areas. I am passionate about cocoa because I am a beneficiary of its potential in term of education, infrastructure and free health benefits which are funded with cocoa money.

 Where are those things today, what Awolowo has done in the 60s, no Governor in the entire south west has built anything on it. And that is why I am passionate because I see needless wastages of the future of our youths. Many graduates are out there while there is potential strength in Nigeria to employ them. This is why I am very passionate about ensuring the right thing is done to positively affect the produce for more benefits to our younger ones and children.

What are key things to be done to move the sector forward?

Since you want key ones, let me mention few. First, Let us pay attention to rural development. You cannot increase agricultural production either in cocoa or any other produce without attracting farmers to the farms as today the older people are majority doing the practice. 

In Nigeria there no rural feeder roads to bring agricultural produce as many are wasted in the farms. The only means of transportation is Okada, and how much produce can it bring from the farm at once. Can the youth go to where there is no telecommunications system and how can the little raw produce we are taking to the market with Okada generate job for our youths and deepen our industrialization base. To me these are the most ingredients of the economic development, that is employment and capital formation, and if you do not have the two, you cannot talk about economic development. These are areas we have to dispassionately look into without personal interest or group interest, but rather in the interest of the nation.

As a processor, do you have your own out growers?

Where are the resources to have out growers as a processor? I can at my level encourage out growers in area of trainings and technology transfers by way of contributions, but having my own personal out growers would amount to another challenge, and then, where is the line margin for division of labour. The government should provide the infrastructure and that is why we have the ministry of agriculture and developmental ministries. Therefore there must be a programme that will be targeted at the development of our farmers.

Can you share your experience in area of challenges and prospect in cocoa processing in Nigeria?

The experience we have been facing is not very encouraging due to less attention given by government policy. Processing value chain is very frustrating and not only in cocoa. Processing sector of our agriculture has been neglected for too long. We cannot as nation develop without this unit is well enhanced. This has been my experience in the last ten year like you said. I was once the chairman of COPAN; we mentioned this and also presented a paper on it for the government. Our problem is that most decisions are personal interest and not national interest.