*law to restrict on the way
· *Traditional rulers advocate farmers’
training
The national president, National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Hon. Ojo Ajanaku has condemned the exploitation of farmers by foreigners who by-passed local buyers to deal directly with producers in the inner lands, saying such action is an affront on the sub sector as no Nigerian can be allowed to do such in any country.
Hon. Ajanaku made this call at the recently held 2022 Cashew Trading Season Flagging off Ceremony held at Ogbomosho, Oyo state, as he urged stakeholders to allow orderliness in the trading of the commodity.He explained
that where there is no orderliness, crisis was always a feature of such a place
warning that when foreigners start doing the work of local buying agents then
the quality of the commodity would be compromised, and for foreigners to be
visiting farms is a sort of infringing on Nigerians privacy warning that “if
you are one of those doing this you are encroaching on other peoples’ jurisdictions”
The president
hinted that a system would soon be put in place towards enhancing quality of
cashew production between the local buyers and farmers as both parties would be
able to interact on demand specification, just as we had in other countries
where their produce command more premium price than ours in Nigeria.
He called on
Nigerians to embrace cashew processing towards more earning through value
addition as he acknowledged that more Nigerians are already showing interest in
the sub-sector with the example of Sterling Global Limited.
Mr. Adeyemi Adeniji of Sterling Global Limited,
enjoined the stakeholders to maintain their respective positions along the
value of the produce, also frowned at foreigners going into the local villages
to meet farmers directly saying that “ by going directly to the farmers, you
are circumventing the value chain. If you want to be an exporter stay in Lagos,
but if you want to be a local member of NCAN stay in Ogbomosho. Trust this
people. Stop putting pressure on the farmers. When you put pressure on them
they won’t allow the cashew to drop off by themselves, but rather harvest them
prematurely’’
Adeniji
urged traders and buyers to invest in the training of farmers to ensure safety as he assured stakeholders a law that would
soon put the sub sector rightly, and
prevent foreigners from direct dealing with farmers adding that ‘’ very soon, there
will be a law to prohibit foreigners from going to farms. If you train your
children abroad, those ones who are not trained are the ones that would kill
your children. You make profit in your business, how much of the profit are you
investing in the farmers’’
Oba John
Akintola, a professor and traditional ruler who spoke on behalf of other rulers
urged the buyers to always go through traditional rulers in dealing with
farmers saying “We traditional rulers own the land and we have the people. We
own the farmers. If you talk to us all those usual problems would be no more as
we would talk to the farmers. If you want to reach the farmers talk to the
traditional rulers we will ask them to bring their cashew to you “ Secondly, if
you want to give farmers money it is better to go through traditional rulers
because the traditional rulers know every farmer and his capacity and are
therefore in a better position to recommend how much to advance to whom. Thirdly,
farmers are helping you; the NCAN should also help farmers. Earmark funds to
help the farmers. Spend money on research in the universities and research
institutes. This is what happens in other more advanced countries. Finally, when
you get to any locality and you see those indigent students, organize
scholarships for them’’
Dr. Daniel
Gbadero who delivered the keynote address said the crop could contribute
significantly in solving the present high unemployment rate confronting Nigeria because it can be cultivated on any
land whether fertile or marginal and that the leaves and other droppings would
fertilize the soil on its own. While speaking on harvesting and storage, he
said: “In Nigeria, it takes about three years of good bio-care for the crop to
start flowering and fruiting but optimal yield begins at about six years till
about ten years. After ten years, what you get from your cashew depends on how
well you take care of the cashew. Cashew must not be harvested until all the
fruits are fully ripe. If you don’t want to use the juice, you allow it to drop
from the tree before you collect. But if you want to use the juice for
industrial purposes, for example, you tell the farmers to allow the fruits to
fully ripe before picking.
This will
also ensure you have good quality nuts. In the present weather, drying cashew
will only take three or four days. It is important to dry well so as to avoid
the growth of fungi which will reduce your cashew’s quality, in your storage.
The warehouse must be properly ventilated to ensure there is no growth of fungi
and also free of pests and so you need to fumigate. To ensure proper air
circulation, right temperature and humidity and free movement in the warehouse,
the jute bags containing cashew must be placed on wooden planks that have been
laid down on the ground. And then there must be a gap of about three feet in
between piles of cashew bags”
On quality,
he said that ’’ The cashew quality depends on the size of the nut. Those who
will invest in cashew business must be mindful of transportation as well as
quality storage as I have mentioned earlier. Because the roads are bad, there
is need for good quality and sturdy vehicles for transportation to the farms as
well as to bring out the cashew from the farms. The nuts are fairly heavy so
they need good transportation “He advised the buyers to endeavor to advance
money to support the farmers with agricultural extension services and money to
take care of their farms and sometimes, when times are hard, for the sake of
sending their children to school, adding “and as one good turn deserves another,
the farmers would remember to sell their cashew to you at harvest time”.
The Oyo
state commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Adebisi Adeniyi enjoined the traders
to shun sharp practices as there are lots of sharp practices going among the
farmers and buyers. The commissioner who was represented by Rev. Akinyemi
Akinyinka said “We should work together
to make the state and Nigeria the hub of good quality cashew”
The chairman NCAN Oyo state which hosted the
event urged the farmers, buying/selling agencies, processors and transporters
as well as exporters and merchants to be “supportive, tolerant and strategic to
one another” and to join the membership of the association because only members
are allowed to do cashew business all over.
Mr. Babatola Fasheru, the immediate former
president of the NCAN and presently the president of the African Cashew
Alliance broke the news of Nigeria hosting the 16th African Cashew Alliance annual
cashew conference.
Fasheru said:”This
is the first time that Nigeria will be hosting the comity of nations on our
soil. The conference is slated for Abuja for 12th to 16th September, 2022.We
will be expecting people from all over the world, from Europe, America, Asia
and other parts of the world and we can showcase what we have here. With the
hosting of the conference by Nigeria, things cannot be the same again in the
cashew business in Nigeria as it will uplift the business for the processors,
the traders and the farmers’’
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