The Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, has expressed assurance that the state would soon attain its top position in the production of cocoa in Nigeria.
He said his administration was very serious about returning the state to the top in the production of the commodity as he disclosed that over 10,000 hectares of land had been cleared at Jugbere community in Owo Local Government Area solely for the cultivation of cocoa.
He stated this when the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Nanono, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Alagbaka, Akure, on Monday evening after the inauguration of the National Secretariat complex of the Cocoa Farmers of Nigeria located in Akure, the Ondo State capital,
According to him, the cocoa revolution was supposed to have kicked off in the state, stressing that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was billed to visit Jugbere community before the dissolution of the last Federal Executive Council.
He said, “Cocoa production is very important to us to the extent that we have a cocoa village which is in Jugbere. Initially, we wanted to do 2,000 hectares but the CBN came and said we should not do less than 10,000. It is large. We have cleared the whole place. We have started planting.
“Initially, before you came on board, we were talking about cocoa revolution. The President was supposed to come and start the revolution here in Ondo State. The President wanted to come and see the cocoa value chain in the state.”
The governor noted that his administration had been able to revive the chocolate factory in Idanre, Idanre Local Government, saying it had been producing quality and rich chocolate.
“When we came in, the factory was dead and abandoned. We resolved to revive it. It took us some time. About three months ago, they got their NAFDAC certificate. We pride ourselves in the production of quality cocoa and now chocolate,” he explained
Speaking earlier, the minister stated that the Buhari administration was interested in reversing the downward trend in cocoa production in Nigeria despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the world economy.
Source: The punch