By Fatima Muraina
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Ondo state government has been advised to focus on cocoa production where it has comparative advantage.
The National President of Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, CFAN, Mr Adeola Adegoke gave the advice in an interview with The Hope in Akure.
Adegoke said the state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu should be commended for remarkable achievement recorded in cocoa production of over 85,00o metric tonnes which is unprecedented in the history of the state, but would be a disservice removing and substituting them with oil palm .
He said the local economy is being controlled by cocoa and any attempt to replace them with oil palm would pose a dire consequences.
” When we are talking about the forest issues, we know that the non oil contributor to the economy of Ondo state is cocoa and in terms of provision of employment, the highest provider of employment opportunities that many cocoa farms are connected with in Nigeria is in Ondo state,
Adegoke said the state has other places which could be used for oil palm production and not cocoa farm.
“Cocoa coming from those areas are part of what the Governor is proud of, producing 85,000 metric tons during Arakunrin Akeredolu’s tenure which is truly unprecedented in the history of the state,” he stated.
According to the Cocoa Farmers President, it is not economical to use the existing place for production of oil palm because cocoa production would be hampered.
