By Fatima Muraina

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As Nigeria loses N60b annually for non collection of the Living Income Differential (LID) for cocoa farmers above the floor of cocoa price, it has expressed its interest to join Ghana and Cote d’lvoire for  implementation of the LID of $400 on every ton of cocoa beans sold to enhance farmers’ benefits.

The National President of Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria CIFAN, Mr Adeola Adegoke disclosed this at the flag off of the distribution of cocoa GAP handbook to small holder cocoa farmers in Ogun state recently.

Adegoke declared that CFAN and other value chain partners are currently committed to supporting a sustainable living income of the smallholder cocoa farmers through the collection of $400 Living Income Differential (LID).

Adegoke also explained that Cocoa GAP Handbook will address poor production and productivity per hectare with the intention to change the 350kg/400kg per hectare in Nigeria and move it to 600kg per hectare by 2024 with 500,000 MT as against 340,000 MT currently producing).

He added that low usage of organic pesticide and fertilizer in cocoa production and noncompliance with international best practices would also be revised.

Speaking on the development, the state chairman of CFAN, Mr Taiwo Williams, said the handbook will help improve on their production which he noted will have positive impact on the economy of the state and the country at large.

He advice farmers to make judicious use of the handbook and not to make it a decoration on their book shelves.