Local production of cashew nuts to hit 400,000 tonnes

By Franklin Alli
NIGERIAN cashew nuts will soon increase to 400,000 tonnes from the current 10,000 tonnes per annum.

This boost is coming on the heel of a tripartite partnership between the Bank of Industry (BOI), the African Cashew Alliance (ACA) and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC). This was made known during the courtesy visit of the Executive of African Cashew Alliance (ACA) to the BOI in Lagos.

According to the President, ACA, Mr. Idrissi Kilangi, at the moment, Cote d’Ivoire has the highest production volume in Africa, with 350,000 tonnes per annum, adding: “With all the potentials, Nigeria can produce 400,000 tonnes every year.

He said that ACA in partnership with BOI will work together to ensure that the country meet the record.

He said the Asian countries are the highest producers of the product but added that there is a challenge because their production has been exhausted and this is the reason why the world is focusing on Africa, most especially Nigeria.

Idrissi said cashew nut is the major answer to the development of the non-oil sector, adding that government has neglected it for so long.

He said cashew needs to be included in the agenda of the existing donor platforms and government plans.

“The African cashew industry’s hs the potential to realise more than $300 million in raw nut sales by smallholder farmers and $300 million in added value from cashew processing. Creating more than 200,000 new jobs for the poor in rural areas,” Idrissi said.

The Executive Director, Operation, BOI, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali said BOI is ready to support the production of the product, adding that it will create adequate fund for the production.

He said cashew production is one of the areas BOI is encouraging farmers to look into.  “We have been there from the beginning and we are ready to work with you so as to make it work.  One of our mandate to promote the non-oil export sector and we are expected to evolve strategies for addressing production, processing and marketing problems in the cashew business”.

Mohammed explained that the move was initiated not only to boost the foreign exchange earning capacity of the commodity, but due to the fact that cashew cultivation and processing for export has potentials to create jobs especially for poor rural women.

Meanwhile, Nigeria is the 6th largest producer of cashew in the world after India, Brazil, Vietnam, Guinea Bissau and Tanzania. Like most African producers, most of Nigeria’s production are exported in raw form to India and Vietnam for processing and export with added value and benefits to those economies. Vietnam, for example entered the field of cashew production for export in the early 80’s about the same time Nigerians became aware of the commercial significance of cashew.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/12/local-production-of-cashew-nuts-to-hit-400000-tonnes/