L
LequteMan
Guest
Following the continued fall in global oil prices, a main source of income for Nigeria, the United States Government has advised Fg to prioritise the development of the cocoa industry.
A US Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, Consul General Jefferey Hawkins, said it was unfortunate that the country, which thrived on extensive cocoa production and export, had failed to key into the rising global demand for the agricultural commodity.
According to the American diplomat, Nigeria, with improved production of cocoa, could target emerging economies such as China and India and other developed nations whose citizens have developed a taste for chocolate.
“When I travel through the regions of Nigeria, I am struck by the fact that cocoa is still raised by hand, not by machine, and remains a very labour-intensive commodity to produce. Cocoa production is still very much a family enterprise, from planting to carrying the bags of cocoa beans to the buyers, who may be far away from their farms.
“Despite the physical labour involved, farmers are realising very limited incomes from their efforts. Cocoa production here in Nigeria is diminishing. Cocoa farmers and their trees are aging, and farmers are getting some of the lowest yields on the continent.
Hawkins explained that for Nigeria to take advantage of rising global demand for quality cocoa, which he said had contributed to prices of the agricultural commodity rising by 25 per cent in the past year, something urgent must be done.
#Nigeria #COcoa
A US Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, Consul General Jefferey Hawkins, said it was unfortunate that the country, which thrived on extensive cocoa production and export, had failed to key into the rising global demand for the agricultural commodity.
According to the American diplomat, Nigeria, with improved production of cocoa, could target emerging economies such as China and India and other developed nations whose citizens have developed a taste for chocolate.
“When I travel through the regions of Nigeria, I am struck by the fact that cocoa is still raised by hand, not by machine, and remains a very labour-intensive commodity to produce. Cocoa production is still very much a family enterprise, from planting to carrying the bags of cocoa beans to the buyers, who may be far away from their farms.
“Despite the physical labour involved, farmers are realising very limited incomes from their efforts. Cocoa production here in Nigeria is diminishing. Cocoa farmers and their trees are aging, and farmers are getting some of the lowest yields on the continent.
Hawkins explained that for Nigeria to take advantage of rising global demand for quality cocoa, which he said had contributed to prices of the agricultural commodity rising by 25 per cent in the past year, something urgent must be done.
#Nigeria #COcoa
