Hon. Rufai Sule lauds government’s readiness to prioritise, invest in agro-economy »

….charges NCAN on readiness to position members towards massive cashew production.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo on Cashew Production and Marketing, Hon. Rufai Enero Sule has hinted Kogi state government’s readiness to prioritise and invest massively in agro-economy lauding the Governor Ododo for taking interest in the agricultural sector.

In an interview with our correspondence, Rufai charged National Cashew Association Of Nigeria (NCAN), Kogi State to get themselves ready for a new dawn of policies and initiatives that would position the State in a lead role in the global Cashew market, while the government through his office would ensure that such products are marketed to the global market.

The SSA further reminded the state’s NCAN that the profitability of Cashew products is very huge adding that cashew farming in Nigeria is lucrative, earning the country over N41.27 billion, providing up to 600,000 direct/indirect jobs and supporting over 300,000 families.

He mentioned that Nigeria is the world’s 13th and Africa’s 4th largest producer of cashew with 200,000 to 240,000 metric tons of raw cashew nuts each year, with about 85% of it, being exported.

The SSA pointed out that Kogi State is taking the lead role in Nigeria because of the state’s favourable agro-climatic and soil conditions; the sound agricultural policies of the government, geared towards empowering farmers with improved seedlings, mechanisation, and agrochemicals, and creating an enabling environment for the private sector to invest in cashew production over the years.

He added that in line with the continuity and consolidation mission of the administration Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo, Cashew Production and Marketing is set to take an advanced position with policies that would tackle problems like unwarranted price fluctuation, tax irregularities, insufficiency of improved seeds, lack of periodic cashew. farmers sensitization and workshops, “middlemen” price control effects and many more.

With the workable plans of Kogi State Government, the next cashew season promises to be bumper harvests in the globally most desired quality, he assured.