Nigeria: Cashew Growers Sign N1 Billion Export Deal

The National Cashew Association of Nigeria said on Wednesday that it had signed a N1 billion deal with shipping companies in Nigeria to export cashew nuts.

The national spokesperson of the association, Sotonye Anga, disclosed this in an interview in Lagos.

He explained that the deal was sealed at a meeting with cashew exporters, shipping companies and forwarding agents.

He said cashew exporters will export 6,700 containers of cashew nuts to Vietnam, India and other Asian countries this year.

"We are pleased with the outcome of the cashew logistics meeting, held on Saturday the February 20 with stakeholders.

"We are giving shipping companies more than 6,700 container loads of cashew nuts for shipment to India, Vietnam, and other Asian countries.

"This translates to $5 million (N1 billion) worth of business which is about One billion naira as our industry wide cost of shipment. In return, we demand from them the best of service.

"We want the best in terms of care in handling our cashew shipments, shorter delivery and transit time at a pocket friendly rate.

"We insist on global best practice for cashew handling and so we will work closely with the shipping companies to come up with an industry friendly programme for cashew exports from Nigeria," Mr. Anga said.

He said that the containers that would convey the cashew nuts would be dressed with double corrugated craft paper.

"Henceforth all 40ft containers carrying cashew nuts from Nigeria will load 26.5 metric tons of cashews.

"They must also carry appropriate number of quality desiccants to absorb moisture and to help us preserve the quality of cashew during transit," he said.

Some of the shippers represented at the meeting included, PIL Ltd, CMA DELMAS and MAERSK LINE among others.

They pledged their full support and advised cashew exporters to fill indemnity forms whenever they use import containers for export.

(NAN)