Cashew president frowns at foreigners’ distortion of industry orderliness

 *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’’