By Adekola Afolabi

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In a bid to attain number one position in the production of cocoa in Nigeria, over 10,000 hectares of land had been cleared for cocoa plantation at Jugbere community in Owo Local Government area of Ondo State.
Also over 500,000 improved cocoa seedlings have been distributed to farmers in the state.
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu stated this while playing host to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Nanono, at the Government House, Alagbaka, Akure.
He explained that cocoa revolution was supposed to have kicked off in the state, and President Muhammadu Buhari was billed to visit Jugbere before the dissolution of the last Federal Executive Council.
The Minister was in Ondo state for the inauguration of the National Secretariat complex of the Cocoa Farmers of Nigeria (CFAN) located in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Akeredolu who expressed delight over the location of the Cocoa Farmers National Secretariat Headquarters in the state, stressed that cocoa production is very key to his government to the extent that the state now has a Cocoa Village at Jugbere.
“Initially we wanted to do 2000 hectares and 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,” he added.
Akeredolu, who said the state prides itself in the production of quality cocoa, added that his administration has been able to revive the chocolate factory in Idanre which now produces 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,” Akeredolu said.
He stated that no fewer than 250,000 cocoa trees would be standing fruitfully in the state presently.
“Cocoa is not only our area of interest. We are interested in palm. We have termed it Red Gold. We have given land to the investors. The red gold has caught the interest of ADFB.
“We also have the Okitipupa oil palm trees. It is one of the largest in the country. But before we came in, it was abandoned. There were litigation. But we have settled. We will invite investors. Government might not be best suited to handle that kind of venture,” Akeredolu emphasised.
Earlier, the Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Nanono, disclosed that Ondo state was famous for its massive production of quality cocoa, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari led administration is interested in reversing the downward trend in cocoa production in Nigeria despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the world economy.
“As you are all aware, Nigeria in the 1960s and 1970s was a major cocoa producer and it supplied most of the world’s demand. Cocoa was a major revenue and foreign exchange earner for Nigeria. It provided millions of jobs for the people, especially those in the South-West region”, he said.