The Kogi State Government has begun plans to establish a cashew processing plant to promote value addition, attract investment and increase the crop’s contribution to the state’s economy.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Timothy Ojoma, disclosed this in Lokoja while receiving executives of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Kogi Chapter. He said discussions were ongoing with relevant agencies and private investors to establish a facility that would begin with semi-processing before expanding to full-scale industrial operations.
Ojoma said the initiative would move Kogi beyond the production and export of raw cashew nuts and position the state as a major processing hub. He added that the government was exploring partnerships with the CBN and commercial banks to create a financing window offering cashew farmers access to single-digit-interest loans.
The commissioner also said the government was considering sponsoring NCAN members for international training programmes and trade fairs to acquire modern processing and packaging skills that could be transferred to local farmers and processors.
NCAN Kogi Chairman, Mr Muhammed Agala, commended the government’s support for agriculture, saying cashew farmers account for more than 60 per cent of the state’s annual production. He urged authorities to prioritise factory development, processing facilities and interventions that would help farmers meet international quality standards.
The meeting ended with the establishment of a technical working committee to develop a proposal for the processing plant and harmonise the association’s demands.
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