A private sector-based organisation, Bean and Co. Global Ltd, has stressed the need for increased investment in Cocoa cultivation to revive Nigeria’s production and distribution lead worldwide.
Mr Ilan Lugassy, Executive Director of the organisation, a Nigeria-based Israeli Cocoa company, gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He revealed that the organisation and Cross River State Government had entered into a Public Private Partnership agreement to promote cash crop production in the country.
He said that the partnership became imperative due to the high demand for cocoa products globally and Nigeria, being in the tropics, has great potential to produce and export the cash crop commercially.
According to him, Cross River State government has already parcelled 5,000 hectares of farm land in Etung and Ikom Local Governments which will be leased to farmers for 25years minimum under growers’ schemes.
He described poor investment in the cultivation of Cocoa as a major hindrance ot production and distribution of the cash crop in Nigeria.
