By Obike Ukoh
The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, has developed high yielding and early maturing cocoa variety for farmers.

Cocoa

The Chairman of CRIN’s board, Mr Dickson Imasogie, who announced this in an interview with the  in Benin, said “the improved variety starts producing 18 months after planting.”

He said that the new breed cocoa was a great improvement on the old breed specie which usually commence producing fruits three years after planting.

“There is a demonstration farm for the new cocoa at Igueriakhi and Uhumora, in Owan Area of Edo”, Imasogie said, urging cocoa farmers in the state to avail themselves of the new breed to boost yield.

The chairman said the breed had already been made known to farmers, adding that its advantages were also discussed at the recent “Cocoa Week”, which the 14 cocoa producing states participated.

On the problem of viable market being faced by cocoa farmers in Edo, Imasogie said that he had led the farmers on a visit to the deputy governor to discuss the issue.

He said that the problem was that cocoa produced in the state were taken to Akure for “grading” because Edo lacked a grading centre for the produce.  Imasogie noted that the commodity was not graded in Edo but in Akure.

The chairman remarked that it would be of great economic benefit to Edo if its cocoa was graded in the state.
According to him, when Edo cocoa is graded in Ondo, it is credited to Ondo’s production and the revenue also goes there.

He said that although the Federal Government had provided incentives for cocoa farmers, the Niger Delta States should complement the efforts as almost all the states in the region produce cocoa in commercial quantity.