Cashew juice processing firm starts in Kogi

A food processing company, Ahiaba Global Resources Limited in collaboration with U.S-based Techno Serve on Tuesday said it had commenced production of cashew juice from cashew apples in Kogi.

Mr Stephen Ahiaba, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, disclosed this at the inauguration of the processing plant in Ochaja, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi.

“The initiative, apart from adding value to cashew production in the state, is part of efforts to improve on the national economy and curb unemployment among youths and rural women.

“Farmers in the rural areas will no longer harvest cashew nuts and waste the apples as they have now been trained on how to preserve them for our company to process,’’ Ahiaba said.

The chief executive officer said Kogi remained the highest cashew-producing state in the country, adding that the fruits could be processed into cashew juice, cashew honey and snacks among others.

He said the company would empower cashew farmers in the rural areas through “training and provision of good agronomic practices, disease detection and control, packaging and marketing of farm produce.’’

Ahiaba pointed out that the initiative was aimed at increasing farmers’ income and boosting the national economy.

He added that the firm was committed to contributing its quota to the economic growth of the state and the nation at large.

Also speaking, Prof. Emilia Cowea, a representative of Techno Serve, a United States-based Non-Governmental Organisation, said cashew juice had health benefits.

Cowea said one of the medicinal values of cashew juice was the treatment of hypertension and diabetes.

Speaking at the occasion, Alhaji Salifu Yahaya, the Atamodu of Odu and traditional ruler of Oduland, charged his subjects to key into cashew business as part of measures to redress the nation’s present economic situation.