• Urges state inclusion in Cocoa Board 

As the Abia State Government moves to turn around the fortune of Cocoa farming, the state chairman of Cocoa Association of Nigeria, Mr. John Kalu has called for support to harness the full potential of the crop to diversify the economy.

While noting that the state is ranked 8th among Cocoa producing states in Nigeria, Kalu said the cocoa farmers need encouragement by providing improved seedlings and inputs at subsidised rates, ensuring early yearly flag-off of the planting season, training and retraining of farmers, and inclusion of Abia in the Nigeria Cocoa Board.

Kalu, who disclosed this during a meeting with the Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, members of the State Cocoa Transformation Committee and major stakeholders in Cocoa Agro Business at Government House, Umuahia, said the meeting was convened by the deputy governor to acquaint them with the government’s policy direction on cocoa production and also re-stress the importance of cocoa production in the economy of the state and nation at large.

He said: “Cocoa production is important to Nigeria’s economy and is a leading agricultural export. Nigeria is currently the world’s fourth largest producer after Ivory Coast, Indonesia and Ghana and also third largest exporter after Ivory Coast and Ghana. A cocoa processing industry will soon be established in the state; we will ensure that the cocoa growing councils will be given necessary support to ensure that Abia farmers are not left behind.

“Cocoa farming contributes to food security in the country and Africa as it provides an important source of income and nutrition to several people, in addition to being used as cost-effective organic fertiliser to help in suppressing weeds, conserving moisture and minimising erosion through the crushing of shell pods; provision of raw materials for industries; serving as a source of foreign exchange; contributing to economic development and improving standards of living, among others.”

He noted that the Agbozu Cocoa Estate at Uzuakoli in Bende Local Council has been leased out, directing the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Sir Okey Ihedioha to furnish him with the lease agreement for necessary action.

In his response, Ihedioha said apart from the cocoa farm at Agbozu, there were other producing belts in Ibere, Ikwuano and Itumbuzo in Bende local council, expressing confidence that with the encouragement and support from government, the ministry can re-jig cocoa production in the state.

Representatives of Cocoa Research Institute Of Nigeria, Prince Olaniyi and Mr. Aloysius Mba of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, who spoke separately, lamented that the only state-owned cocoa plantation has been leased out, even as Abia has one of the best cocoa seeds in the country.