By Fatima Muraina & Rose Okakah

Ondo state government said it would leave no stone unturned to ensure that it maintains the leading position in quality cocoa production in the country.

Government revealed that over 500, 000 seedlings of cocoa are raised annually in the state through the State Cocoa Management Agency to improve foreign exchange earnings.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Agric and Agric Business, Pastor Akin Olotu disclosed this yesterday at the 2023 Agric Show and Food Fair, held at the International Culture and Events Center (The Dome), Akure.

Declaring the event open, Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, reaffirmed his administration’s continuous support to enforce quality control of agricultural produce to ensure that farm products are acceptable at the international market.

The theme of the event is, “Agricultural Commodities: Basic Instrument for Economic and Industrial Revolution”.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Olayato Aribo, particularly called on all stakeholders in the Agric Sub-Sector, especially farmers and members of OSACA to strive for increased outputs in order to feed the Agro-Allied industries for optimum production.

Akeredolu also challenged retired military officers, retired senior public officers and business men to go into agriculture rather than leaving it for the peasant farmers for the betterment of the nation’s economy.

He stressed that government will not relent in its resolve to regularly give grants to farmers’ Organisations like Ondo state Cooperatives Federation (OSCOFED) and Ondo Agricultural Commodities’ Association (OSACA) as support to Agricultural inclined associations.

He emphasised that there is need to produce quality and acceptable farm produce for the International communities by discouraging the use of harmful agro chemicals.

“I wish to call on all stakeholders in agric sub- sector particularly our farmers to strive for increased output in order to feed the agro-allied industries for optimum production,” the Governor added.

In his good will message, the National President of Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) Mr Gbemitan Abolarinwa, called on farmers to engage in smart agricultural practice and irrigation system rather than age long rain-fed agricultural practice.

Abolarinwa, who was represented by Mr Ademola Alagbada, said that the issue of diversification of Nigeria economy from petroleum to agriculture played a major role in president Bola Ahmed Tinubu economic agenda.

He said government should place emphasis on funding the upstream (production) sector of the cocoa value chain, which he said would increase production and sustainability.

“The only panacea for our dwindling foreign exchange is to increase our agricultural commodities production, increase our value addition as well as our exportation drive.”

“We can only achieve this through a collaborative synergy between the government at all levels and the critical stakeholders,” he added.

Earlier, the Chairman of Ondo State Cocoa Council, Dr Olusegun Awolumate, quoted the National Bureau of statistics (NBS) declaring  cocoa as the leading agricultural export in Nigeria as it generated N107, 59billiin in the first quarter of 2023.

Awolumate said the Akeredolu’s administration inaugurated the state cocoa council in 2012 to coordinate the associations and groups within the cocoa value chain in the state.

He explained that the council went into strategic partnership with the state office of Nigeria Export Promotion Council(NEPC) on ” Cocoa Agripreneurs’ Mentorship Program me (CAMP)” designed to address the growing need for effective participation of youths in agricbusiness, technology-dr8ven and sustainable cocoa production requirement and the international trade/export practices.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agric and Agric Business , Pastor Akin Olotu said Ondo state cannot be stagnated in cocoa production but will continue to take the lead.

While challenging the tertiary institutions to venture into agribusiness, Olotu encouraged the youths to go into cocoa production and processing.

According him, Governor Akeredolu has approved the raising of cocoa seedlings on annual basis, adding the seedlings are being given out free of charge.

“Over 500,000 seedlings of cocoa are raised annually in the state by Ondo State Cocoa Management Agency,” pointing out that Ondo state is the only state in the country that is having full fledged Cocoa Agency.