Cocoa, rubber valuable, can turn around Nigerian economy, says expert

Professor Peter Okuneye, a renowned researcher and scholar in the field of agricultural and environmental economics at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has debunked allegations that the nation’s cocoa has lost its value and not met international standards, saying both cocoa and rubber could still drive the country’s economy.

Rather, the don noted that the quality of cocoa being produced in the country remains one of the best in the world and could create and bring wealth to the country like it did in the 60s and early 70s, adding that “reliance on cocoa and other tree crops, which were a major foreign exchange earner for Nigeria in the 1960s and 1970s can still do magic to Nigerian economy.

He disclosed further that in a research he conducted, which bordered on the environmental impact of tree crops under the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) sponsored by the United Nations Empowerment Programme (UNEP), showed that usage of chemicals used in cocoa production does not reduce the viability and value of the produce.

“We found out that what the international organisations were saying, that Nigerian cocoa had been so polluted because of some chemicals, is not true,” he said.

“We were lucky that during that period, the International Cocoa Organisation wanted to put a ban on Nigerian cocoa to the tune of about 600,000 metrics tonnes not to be sold but that study, which we presented to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), opened the eyes of the International Cocoa Organisation to the fact that it is not our own production that has led to increase in the chemicals that they used in London, where they stored the cocoa.”

“Nigerian Cocoa was therefore accepted right on the shore, rather than after storage by the International Cocoa Organisation in London, and that assisted us to increase the level of production and the level of marketable surplus of cocoa, not only nationwide, but worldwide”.

Speaking on another research activity which has been of economic relevance to the country, the University don stated that “in a research, which was also funded by UNEP on rubber production, he said “we found out that rubber production was affected because farmers were enticed by the high prices arising from SAP.

“So, they were then tapping the rubber even up to the stems and almost to the leaves. So, the people from Delta, Edo and Cross Rivers States tapped the rubber to the extent that the rubber trees started to collapse and dry up, meaning that extension works needed to be stepped up for them to know the limit of tapping on the rubber, as there was no increased level of rubber production because of the international market available.”

“So, I am happy to say that governments in Delta, Edo and Cross River States adopted our findings and with this, they have increased their levels of rubber production. In the case of fisheries, people were using various types of chemicals to kill the fish in some fish ponds by some farmers without their knowledge, thereby discouraging some people towards building concrete ponds or river ponds and with that, when we called their attention.”

“What they needed to do was to fortify their surroundings to protect their various fish ponds, which really assisted them and further encouraged them towards increasing their level of fish production”.