NEPC sensitises Abia cashew farmers on value addition

…says value addition will not only generate foreign exchange, but also create jobs

Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the country’s lead agency responsible for the promotion of non-oil export, has observed that Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings will increase if cashew farmers add value to their produce.

Nonye Ayeni, executive director/chief executive officer of NEPC, made this observation in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, at a day workshop on development and production of quality cashew nut for export, organised by the Abia State Coordinating Office of the Council.

Currently, Nigeria is the 6th largest producer of cashew, and the global demand for cashew has been growing at 7-10% annually, which provides great opportunities for local investors to leverage on.

The NEPC Chief Executive noted that the cashew business is rewarding and more profitable, especially with value addition, through effective processing to global quality and standard, including other specific market buyer requirements, namely, packaging and kernel grade.

Ayeni, who was represented at the forum by Okechukwu Amaechi, acting State coordinator, NEPC, Abia State, however, regretted that despite huge potentials inherent in cashew nut and its derivatives, the sub-sector is yet to experience the required growth, due to lack of skills, aged plantations and inability to add value to the product.

In order to increase production and develop its markets, she noted that cashew nuts and their production, technology have to be promoted among the farmers, processors and other stakeholders.

According to her, adding value to Cashew nuts by processing them into cashew kernels and packaging them for export would reduce exploitation by the foreign buyers and other middlemen.

“It is patinent to note that if cashew nut is properly processed, packaged and exported, it would not only generate foreign exchange, but also create jobs for the unemployed youths”.

Ayeni explained that the NEPC, over the years, has employed several promotional strategies aimed at motivating stakeholders in the oil sector, stressing that the hosting of the export workshop was a strategy to educate stakeholders in the cashew nut sub-sector on how to progress from exporting raw cashew nuts to processed cashew (kernels).

“Certainly, stakeholders in the sub-sector will discover the hidden treasure in the sub-sector and so redevelop and adapt their production techniques and products to meet requirements of the international markets in terms of hervesting processing, storage, preservation and packaging”, she stated.

Chioma Nnorom, State coordinator, Raw Materials Research Development Council (RMRDC), Umuahia, Abia State, said that the RMRDC recognises the potential of cashew as a strategic non-oil export commodity capable of driving industrial growth, job creation and rural development.

She said that the workshop aligns perfectly with RMRDCs. mandate to promote value addition and ensure sustainable utilisation of Nigeria’s raw materials.

She said that RMRDC has made some key achievements towards the development and production of Cashew in Nigeria, like the donation of a Cashew Nutshell Oil Extractor to the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) and the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU).

She noted that the donation was part of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between RMRDC and ABSU, aimed at enhancing value addition in extracting oil from cashew nut shells.

Also in 2015-2016 and also in 2020 planting seasons, RMRDC distributed “Jumbo” cashew seeds/improved cashew varieties across States to replace old/low-yielding trees, thus boosting production.
Policy advocacy and strategic value chain planning.

“RMRDC has emphasized utilization of non-kernel parts of Cashew (shell liquid, kernel oil among others) for industrial uses (Paints, propeliants , feed among other products), thereby briadning what “Value” means beyond just exporting raw kernels”, she stated.

The well-attended workshop attracted leaders of the National Association of Cashew Farmers, Abia State chapter and cashew farmers from Umunneochi and Isukwuato LGAs.