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Forex Earnings: Farmers to revive Coffee, Tea production via improved seeds ─NACOFTAN

Coffee Drinking

*Massive coffee production could turn into huge a foreign exchange earner for Nigeria, as the cash crop is an important economic tree highly priced in the international market ─National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

In an effort at turning massive coffee production in the country into a huge foreign exchange earner for the country, the National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria (NACOFTAN) has said farmers are resuscitating coffee production through improved seeds and seedlings from the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

Alhaji Salihu Imam, Oyo State Chairman of the Association, made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria Friday, April 16 in Ibadan.

The NACOFTAN Chairman said that funding massive coffee production for the next five years could turn the cash crop into huge foreign exchange earner which Nigeria needs desperately.

Imam described coffee as an important economic tree, highly priced in the world market and three times more valuable than cocoa.

 

He expressed dissatisfaction that there had been total neglect of the commodity for so long as farmers boycotted its production due to perceived lack of buyers.

The Chairman stated: “You will see that these days, great grand coffee trees on the farms are neglected.

“We are now resuscitating coffee through improved seeds and seedlings from CRIN, to tap into its potentialities and prevent the tree from going into extinction.”

According to him, “commercial banks are currently desperately looking for coffee in very huge quantities for export, and its low local production cannot meet demands.

“So, there’s need for the country to tap into its potential by supporting the farmers adequately.”

Imam noted that the association had opened up discussions with banks that showed interest and approached farmers for export of coffee beans.

Imam, therefore, advised the banks to sponsor/finance coffee production massively, to get enough for local industries and also for export trade.

“We have many farmers as out growers for this purpose.

“We have also approached Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to include coffee as one of its commodities for projection/assistance.

“The association will soon organise training programmes statewide for coffee farmers, in conjunction with CRIN and NEPC, to boost knowledge and production capacity,” he noted.

Imam added: “We strongly appeal to the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to give adequate attention to coffee propagation.

“It is capable of earning foreign exchange for Nigeria if well-harnessed,’’ Imam said.

He described the commodity as the most valuable crop in international market.

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