We have high hope in Tinubu to turn cocoa industry, production around, says CFAN

Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) has vowed to collaborate with Tinubu, to revive the cocoa industry and restore it to its rightful place in the global market.

National President of CFAN, Adeola Adegoke, gave the promise in Akure, capital of Ondo State, immediately after he and 11 other candidates were elected to lead the association for another four-year term.

Adegoke said cocoa farmers would expect a lot from Tinubu but said they would work with the administration to bring about regulations.

The CFAN President also emphasised that the association would push for the establishment of a board that would not only be involved in buying cocoa but also ensure farmers were provided with necessary input to develop the industry.

He said: “Our agenda is to be the highest-producing cocoa country in the world and increase productivity per hectare. We will work with Tinubu to ensure the National Cocoa Management Committee put in place by Buhari is solidified and provided with enabling National Assembly Acts that will spur investment into the sector, strengthen the research system, and make available subsidies for input to our farmers.

“If you look at investments in rice and other commodities, they are not comparable to cocoa. Forex from cocoa is still the highest in the country.

“The present income of our farmers is unacceptable. We have seen that our farmers are getting poorer. We have seen that the quality noted for the Nigerian cocoa industry is no longer there.

“We do not have better sustainable practices.” The focus on commitment to growing the cocoa economy in most of the cocoa-producing states is no longer there.”

“The present system, where there is no system, is unacceptable to us. There will be a social revolution to see that the only way to create wealth for our states is to go back to quality production of coca and mass empowerment of our farmers. We will work together with the incoming administration.”