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As the first cocoa international conference commences August
28th to 31st, all preparation is in top gear towards the
successful hosting of the event in Nigeria according the Director, commodities,
product inspectorate department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and
Investment, Mrs Opelolu Opeewe, who pointed out that the administration of
president Mohammudu Buhari is well prepared to reposition the produce for more
competitiveness in the global market.
In an interview with Food
Farm News in her office about the economic benefit the conference will
bring to cocoa development in Nigeria, Mrs Opeewe said that the revival of the
produce from its present position was very paramount to the economic
diversification from oil using the real sector of agriculture to creating
wealth and job by extensive overhauling of the value chains of the produce for
better earning for farmers and processors.
Mrs Opeewe said that “the
first international cocoa summit is coming up in less than a week’s time in
Nigeria. Exactly from Monday to Thursday next week, and the main reason for the
summit which was initiated by African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK) and International
Cocoa Organization (ICO) was to address the dwindling of Nigeria cocoa
production that shifted our position from 4th in the world to 7th,
and also as the processing mills of the produce are all closing down with debt
leading to many Nigerians losing their jobs. We are therefore looking for a way
to revive the entire cocoa value chains from production, to processing and
marketing. We are thanking God that Nigeria cocoa is one of the best in the
world in terms of its aroma, as we have not experienced any form of rejection,
but presently we want to expand the value chain to local consumption because
economically, it will be wiser if we can consume what we produce locally, this will
make the price to appreciate in the international market. So the summit will be bringing every stakeholder
to together to have an interface for progress discussions.
She added that “all the cocoa producing states like Ondo,
Oyo, Ogun, Cross River, Osun and many others are expected to be at the event
for round table discussion on finding way to cocoa production in the world. We
are determined to take rightful position, because cocoa is contributing to the
economic development in this country as it is second in the GDP contribution to
the country after services. We want cocoa to maintain the status quo by taking
the lead with the availability of large expanse of production and processing
that will meet up with consumption as presently, we are only consuming 2% of
what we are producing, which is a very bad situation. At our last meeting at
Cote’ d’Ivoire , one of the take home decisions by all producing countries is
that our people should start consuming cocoa because of its health benefit as
it cures many terminal diseases like diabetes. It has been tested and proven
that cocoa adds value to our health.”
Responding to the private sector participation at the show,
she said: “all of them are going to be present, that is why is being majorly
anchored by the Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN). Majorly all the farmers
will be present as many farmers will be there to talk and listen to best
improved methods of farming with better cocoa variety that can fruit within
five years,so we can project for the five years, as banks and Asset Management
Company of Nigeria (AMCOM) will be attending so as to see the reason why many
of the processing companies they are closing new support. Also international
organizations are coming and other producing countries like Canada, Germany, Cote
D ‘Ivoire and Ghana etc will come.
Speaking on the economic implication of the conference, Mrs
Opeewe, noted that “in totality this is what we can refer to as rebirth of the
cocoa along the value chain. A new dimension, a new situation, a problem
solving area that as from now and in the next five years we can see what cocoa
will contribute to the development of this economy.
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