CPFAN to build three mega processing factories in South-West Nigeria

The Cocoa and Plantain Farmers Association of Nigeria (CPFAN) said arrangements had been concluded to site three mega processing factories in three of South-West states to support farming businesses and boost production.

The President of CPFAN Ayodele Ojo, who disclosed this in Akure, Ondo state capital, said the maga processing factories would cost N1.5b, saying each of the factory would cost N500m.

According to him the processing factories would be producing plaintain and cocoa powder for domestic use and will be made available in the markets soon, saying the factories will be sited in Ondo, Osun and Ogun state.

He said “We hope to establish this mega-processing factories in all six geo-political zones, the north central and north-east, south-west, south-east, south-south, regions of the country for a start, then the last geo-political zone. The reason for this is that, there are regions that are still lacking in these commodities.

“The scope of this project also include the extension of this commodities into those regions evenly. Overtime, we believe, the last region will be able reap the benefits as well, full details of the project is in the proposal which will be provided  based on request,”

He said a mini-version of the project has already been cited and commissioned by members of our association in Anambra State, South-Eastern part of the country and factory is already up and running.

He said the association will soon establish mini versions of the projects as complements to the mega-project in other states as well on the long run.

He said CPFAN is willing to be part of the solution to the many challenges facing  agriculture in Nigeria by creating an enabling environment for all the actors along the cocoa and plantain value chains to work together, to complement one another’s efforts and to bring remarkable and significant improvement to the various nodes of the value chains.

Ayodele implored the ministry to incorporate Plantain commodity into Anchor Borrowers Scheme and seek agricultural inputs such as agro- chemicals, improved varieties of cocoa and plantain for planting and any other necessary agro inputs.

“We are also looking into how we can also merge the two commodities into one single dietary product that is generally suitable for consumption for all ages, acceptable, and valuable for all.

“We have already foster partnerships with the department of Food and Science Technology in OAU, Ile-Ife and FUTA to help us facilitate the research. We believe this will also increase the value bank for this two commodities”

“The challenges of agriculture in Nigeria requires the coming together of all stakeholders to synergise efforts in achieving the much desired self-sufficiency in agriculture”

While speaking, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar assured the CPFAN members of the Ministry’s readiness to support the association to boost the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of the economy in the area of employment creation, food sufficiency, increase earnings for smallholder farmers as well as income generation.

He noted that the cocoa sub sector contribute to the GDP of Nigeria and should not be toyed with, and as such must be fully harnessed to ensure that the agricultural base is established.